Vertical Aerospace
Vertical Aerospace is a British aerospace manufacturer developing electrically powered vertical take-off and landing aircraft for urban and regional air mobility.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Vertical Aerospace Ltd. is an aerospace manufacturer headquartered in Bristol, England, focused on zero-emission electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, commonly known as eVTOLs. The company was founded in 2016 by Stephen Fitzpatrick, the founder and chief executive of OVO Energy and a former owner of a Formula One team. Its stated objective is to develop aircraft capable of operating from compact urban or regional sites while producing less noise and fewer direct emissions than conventional helicopters and short-distance aircraft. The company’s early work concentrated on remotely piloted multicopter demonstrators. In 2018, it flew the VA-X1, a large electrically powered quadcopter, at Cotswold Airport in Gloucestershire. The aircraft used four electric motors installed inside ducted fans and demonstrated vertical take-off and landing. In 2019, Vertical introduced the VA-X2 and released flight footage of an electric VTOL aircraft designed to carry a substantial payload. The company also became Honeywell’s first eVTOL customer, selecting Honeywell fly-by-wire control technology for its future aircraft program. Vertical subsequently moved away from a simple multicopter configuration toward a fixed-wing, vectored-thrust aircraft. In 2020 it announced the VX4, its principal commercial aircraft program, and established Vertical Advanced Engineering to apply motorsport-derived engineering methods and rapid development processes to aerospace. The VX4 is designed as a piloted aircraft carrying four passengers and one pilot. Its proposed configuration uses eight propellers: front propellers that change from producing vertical lift to forward thrust, and rear propellers primarily used during take-off and landing. During cruise, the fixed wing is intended to provide most of the lift, improving efficiency compared with a purely rotor-borne design. The company has assembled a broad industrial and commercial partnership network. Partners and investors have included American Airlines, Avolon, Rolls-Royce, Honeywell, Microsoft’s M12 investment arm, GKN Aerospace, Solvay, Virgin Atlantic and other aviation or urban-mobility organizations. These relationships have been intended to support aircraft engineering, electrical propulsion, composite structures, certification, financing and eventual commercial operations. Vertical also joined a United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority regulatory sandbox for future air mobility with organizations including Skyports, Atkins and the West of England Combined Authority. Vertical Aerospace became a publicly traded company in December 2021 after combining with Broadstone Acquisition Corp., a special-purpose acquisition company, and began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol EVTL. Its commercial plans have shifted over time as certification and prototype development progressed. The VX4 prototype completed tethered and later untethered testing, although an older-design propeller fault damaged an aircraft during an uncrewed test in August 2023. A second full-scale prototype was revealed in 2024 with changes to its battery, powertrain, carbon-fiber propellers and overall performance objectives. Piloted hover testing was reported in January 2025, with further low-speed and transition testing planned. The aircraft remains a development and certification program rather than an established commercial passenger service.
History
Vertical Aerospace was established in 2016 by Stephen Fitzpatrick in Bristol, England. From the beginning, the company concentrated on electrically powered aircraft capable of vertical take-off and landing. Its early demonstrators were intended to validate distributed electric propulsion, flight-control systems and the practical operation of relatively large battery-powered aircraft. The first major public flight milestone came in June 2018, when the remotely piloted VA-X1 flew at Cotswold Airport near Kemble. The quadcopter weighed approximately 750 kilograms and used four electric engines housed in ducted fans. In 2019, Vertical introduced the VA-X2, a second demonstrator designed to carry a larger payload. The company also entered into a relationship with Honeywell, becoming the supplier’s first eVTOL customer for fly-by-wire aircraft-control systems. During the same period, Michael Cervenka, formerly associated with Rolls-Royce’s future-business activities, became president. In 2020, Vertical announced the VX4, a substantially different design from its earlier multicopters. The aircraft adopted a fixed wing and vectored-thrust propulsion architecture, allowing it to use propellers for vertical flight and the wing for more efficient forward cruise. Vertical Advanced Engineering was also created to bring rapid engineering and manufacturing practices associated with Formula One into aircraft development. Tim Williams joined the company in 2020 and later served as chief engineer during the VX4 prototype program. The company expanded its technical and regulatory network in 2021. It joined a Civil Aviation Authority future-air-mobility regulatory sandbox alongside aviation, infrastructure and regional-government partners. It announced composite-structure work with Solvay and electrical-power-system development with Rolls-Royce. Eduardo Dominguez Puerta joined as chief commercial officer, and Vertical announced a proposed combination with Broadstone Acquisition Corp. The transaction was completed later in 2021, after which Vertical Aerospace became publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under EVTL. Commercial and strategic relationships announced around this period included American Airlines, Avolon, Virgin Atlantic, Honeywell, Rolls-Royce, Microsoft’s M12, GKN Aerospace and Solvay. Between 2020 and 2022, the company designed, built and flew a VX4 prototype. Testing progressed from ground and tethered operations to more representative uncrewed flight. In 2023, the aircraft completed an unmanned flight sequence involving take-off, hovering, forward flight and landing. A later test incident on 9 August 2023 damaged the prototype. Vertical stated that the cause was a propeller fault associated with an older design that had already been superseded. A second full-scale VX4 prototype was revealed in 2024. It included a revised proprietary battery and powertrain system, with the company describing a material increase in available power, as well as redesigned carbon-fiber propellers intended to reduce noise and improve aircraft performance. In January 2025, Vertical reported successful piloted hover testing. The aircraft remains subject to continued development, flight testing, regulatory approval and certification before commercial passenger operations can begin. The company’s proposed service model centers on quiet, zero-direct-emission flights from compact sites in cities and other locations where conventional airport infrastructure is unsuitable.
- 2025
Piloted hover testing
[1]Vertical reported successful piloted hover flights of the VX4 and prepared for low-speed maneuvering tests.
- 2024
Second full-scale VX4 prototype revealed
[1]A revised full-scale aircraft was shown with changes to the battery, powertrain and propellers.
- 2023
Uncrewed VX4 flight testing
[1]The VX4 demonstrated unmanned take-off, hovering, flight and landing using electric propulsion.
- 2021
Public-market combination announced
[1]Vertical announced a combination with Broadstone Acquisition Corp. and an intended New York Stock Exchange listing.
- 2021
New York Stock Exchange listing
[1]Following the Broadstone transaction, Vertical Aerospace began trading under the symbol EVTL.
- 2020
VX4 announced
[1]The company moved toward a fixed-wing, vectored-thrust eVTOL design and announced the VX4 program.
- 2019
VA-X2 and Honeywell relationship
[1]Vertical introduced the VA-X2 and selected Honeywell fly-by-wire control technology for a future aircraft.
- 2018
VA-X1 first flight
[1]The remotely piloted VA-X1 electrically powered quadcopter flew at Cotswold Airport.
- 2016
Company founded
[1]Stephen Fitzpatrick founded Vertical Aerospace in Bristol, England, to develop electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft.
Products and positioning
Vertical Aerospace positions itself as a British developer of zero-emission electric aircraft for urban and regional air mobility. Its approach combines fixed-wing cruise efficiency, distributed electric propulsion, reduced operating noise and compact take-off and landing capability. The brand also emphasizes partnerships with established aerospace, airline, aviation-finance and infrastructure organizations to support certification and commercial deployment.
Electric VTOL technology demonstrator · 2018
VA-X1
The VA-X1 was Vertical Aerospace’s first major flight demonstrator. It was a remotely piloted electric quadcopter weighing approximately 750 kilograms. Four electric engines installed within ducted fans provided vertical lift. The aircraft was used to validate basic electric propulsion, flight-control and vertical-flight technologies rather than serve as a commercial passenger aircraft.
Electric VTOL technology demonstrator · 2019
VA-X2
The VA-X2 was Vertical Aerospace’s second announced aircraft and was designed to demonstrate a larger electric VTOL platform capable of carrying a significant payload. The company released flight footage associated with the aircraft in 2019. It represented an intermediate step between the initial multicopter research vehicles and the later VX4 commercial aircraft concept.
Piloted electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft · 2020
VX4
The VX4 is Vertical Aerospace’s flagship eVTOL program. The proposed aircraft is designed to carry four passengers and a pilot, operate with zero direct emissions during flight and achieve a range of more than 100 miles according to company descriptions. Eight propellers support vertical take-off and landing, while the front propellers rotate or redirect thrust for forward flight and the fixed wing provides lift during cruise. The aircraft is intended for urban and regional air mobility, but remains subject to continued testing, certification and regulatory approval.
Marketing campaigns
- 2021Future Air Mobility Regulatory Sandbox
United Kingdom
Vertical joined a consortium working with the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority to examine regulatory and operational requirements for future air mobility.
Outcome. The initiative supported engagement on certification, operating rules and infrastructure for future eVTOL services.
- 2021Virgin Atlantic urban air mobility partnership
United Kingdom · United States
Vertical and Virgin Atlantic explored the use of eVTOL aircraft in a future flying-taxi and urban-mobility service.
Outcome. The partnership contributed to proposed commercial demand and route planning for the VX4, but did not by itself establish a passenger service.
Brand decisions
2024
Second full-scale VX4 prototypeGeneration changeBackground
The company needed to continue technical validation after early prototype testing and the 2023 test incident.
Action taken
Vertical revealed a second full-scale prototype incorporating a revised battery and powertrain and redesigned carbon-fiber propellers.
Aftermath
The updated aircraft proceeded toward piloted hover and later flight-test stages.
2023
Propeller design change after prototype damageOtherBackground
A VX4 prototype was damaged during uncrewed testing at Cotswold Airport on 9 August 2023.
Action taken
Vertical attributed the event to a propeller fault involving an older design and stated that the design had been replaced.
Aftermath
The company continued development with subsequent prototype and propeller changes.
2021
Combination with Broadstone Acquisition Corp.M&ABackground
Vertical sought access to public-market capital and a listed-company structure for its aircraft development program.
Action taken
The company agreed to merge with Broadstone Acquisition Corp., a special-purpose acquisition company.
Aftermath
The transaction resulted in Vertical Aerospace becoming publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under EVTL.
2020
Shift from multicopters to a fixed-wing VX4 architectureStrategyBackground
Vertical’s early aircraft were multicopter demonstrators, while the emerging commercial eVTOL sector increasingly emphasized wing-borne cruise efficiency.
Action taken
The company selected a fixed-wing, vectored-thrust configuration for the VX4, using separate phases of vertical lift and wing-supported forward flight.
Aftermath
The VX4 became the company’s central aircraft program and proceeded through prototype construction and flight testing.
Recent events
Reported
Vertical Aerospace appoints Andrew Teich to its board[2]
Vertical Aerospace announced that Andrew Teich was appointed to its Board of Directors, effective November 2, 2026.
Reported
JAL and Avolon form eVTOL partnership in Japan[3]
Japan Airlines and Avolon announced a strategic partnership to advance the commercialization of eVTOL aircraft in Japan. Japan Airlines will have the right to lease or purchase up to 50 Vertical VA-X4 aircraft, with an option for up to 50 additional units.
Reported
Bristow and Vertical Aerospace announce eVTOL cooperation[4]
Bristow and Vertical Aerospace announced a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on certification, operational planning, and the potential purchase of up to 50 eVTOL aircraft.
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