DR PETER SPAYNE
ABOUT
Dr Peter Spayne is a Chartered Engineer with academic qualifications at PhD, MSc and BEng level spanning artificial intelligence, AUV design, oceanography and systems engineering. His doctorate at the Cranfield Centre for Defence Engineering, How to Trust a Killer Robot, examined the assurance of lethal autonomous weapon systems; the viva was passed in July 2026.
He specialises in autonomous systems, uncrewed underwater vehicles, artificial intelligence and lethal autonomous weapon systems, and is actively involved in the Engineers' livery and STEM engagement. That expertise was developed hands-on over a two-decade career in the Royal Navy, working at the intersection of advanced technology, operations and safety in complex environments as a Chief Engineer, alongside a long-distance academic career.
Peter is the author of Safe to Operate Itself Safely, an assurance methodology for the safe deployment of autonomous weapon systems, published in Defence Studies and recognised with the IMechE Patron's Prize at INEC24. The research rests on a simple observation: an autonomous weapon is not a robot making one decision, but a socio-technical system distributing risk.
Beyond research, Peter contributes across policy, industry and academia. He guest lectures at universities and professional institutions, engages with think tanks and advisory bodies, and has contributed as an expert witness on artificial intelligence in weapons systems to House of Lords select committees, alongside international, ministerial-level discussions on the governance, assurance and responsible use of military AI. He now works in the defence industry on maritime AI and autonomy; the research and views presented here are his own.
Please use the links below to contact Peter regarding speaking, writing, media or collaboration.
