UK company Vertical Aerospace has completed what it says is the first public eVTOL transition flight at the Farnborough International Airshow, moving its full-scale prototype from vertical take-off into wing-borne flight and back to a vertical landing. The company is listed on the NYSE under “EVTL”.
While Vertical’s achievement was not an industry first, it was the first public eVTOL transition demonstration, and unlike Archer’s completed transition, Vertical’s flight was also done with a human pilot at the controls.
Chief test pilot Simon Davies flew the aircraft during the display. The transition between rotor-supported and conventional forward flight is one of the central technical challenges facing developers of electric air taxis.
The demonstration is a milestone for Vertical, but the aircraft must still complete extensive testing and regulatory approval before carrying paying passengers. The Bristol-based company is now targeting certification of its planned Valo aircraft in 2029.
Vertical is developing Valo as a piloted, four-passenger electric aircraft, alongside a longer-range hybrid-electric version aimed partly at defence and logistics missions. It recently partnered with Near Earth Autonomy to add autonomous-flight technology and announced air-mobility operator Sigma Air Mobility as a customer.
Its main competitors include Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation in the US, both of which are pursuing early commercial operations while working towards full certification. Embraer-backed Eve Air Mobility is preparing its full-scale prototype for transition-flight testing, while BETA Technologies is developing both vertical and conventional take-off versions of its ALIA aircraft.
Joby has piloted its aircraft between two public airports in the US using a vertical take-off, full transition to wing-borne flight and vertical landing. Archer Aviation is still to achieve a full piloted transition flight. BETA Technologies completed a piloted full transition in April 2024 in a test. Eve Air Mobility finished hover and low-speed testing this year and is preparing for transition-flight testing.
