A UK Aviation Start-Up Just Completed Its First eVTOL Flight

Michael Verdon
·3 min read

Vertical Aerospace last weekend flew its full-scale demonstrator model. The UK company said the VX4 eVTOL briefly took off over the ground with a pilot. The company claims the tethered flight makes it the first “British company to start flight tests with a new aircraft in over 20 years.”

The flight-testing program is expected to continue for several years. Different stages of flight, including flying at higher altitudes and transitioning from vertical to forward flight, will be part of the process. Vertical hopes to have the aircraft certified by the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the EU’s EASA by 2025. The company was earlier issued a “Permit to Fly” by the CAA.

More from Robb Report

“This test represented the culmination of many months preparation by a huge team and being at the controls of the VX4 for the first time was an honor and a proud moment for us all,” said Justin Paines, Vertical Aerospace’s chief pilot, who flew the aircraft.

Vertical Aerospace VX4.
The first full-scale VX4 prototype was completed by GKN Aerospace in the UK.

Vertical CEO Stephen Fitzpatrick told Robb Report in June that the team had been planning to fly the aircraft by the end of the year. The company was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in December 2021.

Fitzpatrick, who previously owned a Formula One team, decided to get into the electric aircraft race in 2016, prompted by a four-hour commute in Sao Paolo to a Formula 1 race. “We were stationary in traffic for nearly ten miles,” he said. “So, I started to think that what if a city like this—with the largest number of helicopters in the world—had aircraft that were quiet and clean. I felt it would be like converging Formula 1 technology and aviation.” Lightweight carbon fiber, hybrid engines and composites, “our racing team had everything we needed to build airplanes,” says Fitzpatrick. “I thought it was just a question of commercializing the tech we already have.”

Vertical Aerospace’s VX4 has a range of 100 miles, with the ability to cruise at 150 mph and reach a top speed of 200 mph. While it doesn’t resemble a Formula 1 car, Fitzpatrick thinks it’s the best-looking eVTOL on the market. Joby Aviation, Archer, and Lilium have all been testing their eVTOLs with more extensive flights, offering competition on the race to certification.

Vertical Aerospace VX4
The VX4’s first successful flight was a brief tethered hover over the airstrip.

“The market opportunity for these aircraft is enormous,” says Fitzpatrick. “I’m not even sure being the first mover is an advantage.”

Vertical Aerospace has partnered with Honeywell and Rolls-Royce to develop the VX4. “We’re working with tier-one aerospace suppliers,” says Fitzpatrick. “We’re not making out that we’re reinventing aviation, but we are adhering to established standards and choosing the lowest-risk path to certification.”

The company has already received more than 1,400 conditional pre-orders from Virgin Atlantic, American Airlines, Japan Airlines and Air Asia. American recently committed to a pre-payment for its first 50 deliveries of the VX4. The testing protocol continues.

Best of Robb Report

Sign up for Robb Report's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest Stories

  • Woman ‘nearly dies’ and develops psychosis after stomach ache turns out to be gallstones

    Joanna Hodgkiss thought her doctors and nurses were trying to kidnap her.

  • Huge jackpot win leaves Virginia lottery player in disbelief. ‘I burst into tears!’

    She thought she won $100 — but was in for a bigger surprise.

  • Spotify stock swings higher on Q1 earnings, profit beats

    Spotify (SPOT) shares are bumping in Tuesday pre-market trading after the music streamer topped first-quarter earnings estimates. On top of boasting gains of 0.97 euros per share and 3.64 billion euros in revenue (roughly $1.04 per share and $3.89 billion when converted to USD), Spotify reported a profitable first quarter. Yahoo Finance Media Reporter Alexandra Canal details Spotify's first-quarter figures, focusing on what leadership attributes to monthly active users (MAU) falling behind estimates. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Luke Carberry Mogan.

  • Poodle hilariously transforms into Chihuahua

    A pet owner took her Toy Poodle to a groomer in Guangdong, China, in late March to have her dog's thick fur removed. But the woman didn't expect to get the grooming giggles halfway through the shave when her fluffy Poodle seemingly transformed into a skinny Chihuahua.

  • Search for endangered missing woman, Richland County deputies say

    The woman was last seen Monday, according to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.

  • TBM councillors seek history of Georgian Trail

    The Blue Mountains council is looking for the beginning of the Georgian Trail, background councillors suggest will be useful as they are asked to decide about developments along the trail's borders. At a recent meeting, council passed a resolution brought forward by Coun. June Porter to get a full report from staff about the history of the popular walking, hiking and biking trail. Porter developed the resolution after some recent council decisions about local developments that border the trail.

  • Takeda Pharmaceutical: A Long-Term Cash Cow

    A closer look at one of the leaders in the global Crohn's disease treatment market

  • Oracle Is Too Cheap

    The stock is worth at least one-third more based on its powerful free cash flow

  • Inside Zara and Mike Tindall's ultra-luxurious holidays

    Zara and Mike Tindall know how to put a holiday together. Join us as we take a look back at four of their most fabulous getaways to date. See photos.

  • Ill-discipline in the EU ranks could tear the euro apart

    It’s now nearly 12 years since Mario Draghi, then chairman of the European Central Bank (ECB), uttered the three words credited with saving the euro – that he would do “whatever it takes”.

  • The best shopping in Cape Town

    Cape Town has come a long way since “buying local” meant picking up some beadwork and carvings. Cape Town’s sophisticated blend of Afro-Euro has been finding its way into international design-savvy shops in London, New York, Paris. Naturally you’ll find far greater variety, and friendlier pricing, if you do your own foraging.

  • Why comedians throw a tantrum when babies come to their shows

    The American stand-up comedian Arj Barker knew he’d suffer for asking a woman with a baby to leave his show at the Melbourne international comedy festival on Saturday. After she left – with a dozen walkouts joining her in protest – he told the crowd this was his last performance at the festival – “and probably my last in Melbourne.”

  • Forget ageing gracefully – the modern man uses ‘brotox’ instead

    Last month, I had supper with a male friend whose left eyebrow was cocked at an alarming angle, somewhere up by his hairline. Initially, I assumed he was angry about something – angry to the point of derangement. Was the Piccadilly Line playing up again? Had a string of Uber drivers cancelled on him?

  • The 12 best things to do in Cape Town

    You really can’t overstate the case for visiting Cape Town. First, there’s the in-your-face beauty of a craggy mountain range that drops precipitously into a glittering sea, its flanks carpeted in greens and delicate florals. Then there’s the pristine white beaches lapped by – it must be said – a chilly Atlantic, their curves defined by giant granite boulders to bake on.

  • Coffee shop with Vietnamese-inspired drinks to open in Sacramento. Here’s where and when

    The cafe’s co-owners have been holding pop-ups throughout the capital city.

  • The perfect holiday in Cape Town

    You really can’t overstate the case for visiting Cape Town. First, there’s the in-your-face beauty of a craggy mountain range that drops precipitously into a glittering sea, its flanks carpeted in greens and delicate florals. Then there’s the pristine white beaches lapped by – it must be said – a chilly Atlantic, their curves defined by giant granite boulders to bake on, and burbling mountain streams in dappled forests. And no visit is complete without at least one full day exploring some of the

  • The 30 best restaurants in Cape Town

    Cape Town’s cuisine is all about fresh, locally sourced ingredients rather than a particular style of cooking (though cooking meat over coals is a national pastime) – and why not, when it is surrounded by fertile farmlands, and pounded by a bracing Atlantic. Some say we eat with our eyes, and here too the city offers a feast – vineyard-clad mountains, craggy peaks and a sparkling sea. It is no wonder that the city attracts the most talented chefs, and that Cape Town is regularly ranked one of th

  • Ben Stiller Calls “Zoolander 2” Failure 'Blindsiding': 'It Affected Me for a Long Time' (Exclusive)

    The actor/director opened up with David Duchovny for Duchonvy's new podcast 'Fail Better,' which explores personal and professional failures and their impact

  • Turns Out, the Basic Recipe for Fake Blood Hasn’t Changed Much Since the ’70s

    But, according to special effects makeup artist Dave Elsey, the variations are endless. (Vegan blood, anyone?)

  • Soft skills, preparation can help new graduates land jobs, experts say

    TORONTO — Landing a job isn't as easy as it was a few years ago, especially for younger Canadians, as the labour market continues to loosen. As new graduates enter the workforce over the next few weeks, they are likely to face challenges getting their foot in the door and must be prepared to effectively communicate what they bring to the company. "They have to be ready to interview, to showcase their soft skills and be able to handle questions," said Sandra Lavoy, regional director at Robert Hal