Vertical Aerospace

Vertical Aerospace, a UK-based global aerospace and technology company, specializes in the design, manufacturing, and sale of eVTOL aircraft with zero operating emissions with a primary focus on catering to the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) market. The company built and flew two prototype eVTOL aircraft in 2018 and 2019 and was developing and progressing toward the certification of its flagship eVTOL, the VX4. As of March 2023, the company had engaged with various regulatory bodies, including the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB), to obtain certification, and claimed to be one of the only eVTOL designers and original equipment manufacturers (OEM) actively seeking certification from the CAA or the EASA for a winged aircraft.

The VX4 eVTOL developed by Vertical Aerospace is designed to transport a pilot and accommodate up to four passengers, enabling travel distances of up to 100 miles at a cruise speed of 150 miles per hour. As of March 2023, the VX4 prototype had successfully completed piloted flight tests and was progressing to the next stages of the flight test program. These upcoming phases would involve reaching higher altitudes and speeds, as well as demonstrating the transition from vertical to horizontal flight. The company has invested in certain proprietary features of its aircraft, including the battery system and propeller design. In November 2024, Vertical Aerospace launched Flightpath 2030, the company's strategy for its eVTOL aircraft.

Key customers and partnerships

The company has collaborations with renowned aerospace and engineering companies like Rolls-Royce (electric propulsion unit), Honeywell (avionics and flight control), Microsoft (digital systems), GKN (wing), Leonardo (fuselage), and Solvay (composite materials). Vertical Aerospace would leverage their extensive R&D expertise, which allows Vertical Aerospace to enhance its own capabilities, minimize operational risks, and streamline the certification process for its aircraft.

As of March 2023, Vertical Aerospace had a pre-order backlog of more than 1,400 aircraft from a wide array of customers around the globe, opening up opportunities for market entry in the near future. The customer base includes renowned entities like American Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Avolon, Bristow, Marubeni, Iberojet, FLYINGGROUP, Japan Airlines (JAL), Gol, Air Greenland, Gozen Holding, and AirAsia. Furthermore, Avolon's VX4 placements contribute to the expanding list of influential partners collaborating with Vertical Aerospace.