Vertical Aerospace VX4 Completes First Piloted Wingborne eVTOL Flight

Design Engineering: Focus on Redundancy and Safety

The Vertical Aerospace VX4 features a high-mounted wing and V-tail for aerodynamic efficiency. Eight rotors offer Distributed Electric Propulsion, meaning no single point of failure can compromise lift. This design enables:

• Shorter takeoff times
• Built-in failover if a motor loses power
• Lower noise during cruise and hover

Honeywell’s fly-by-wire system manages thrust vectoring, control surfaces, and flight stabilization. The VX4 also uses custom battery modules engineered for rapid cooling and high thermal resistance.

Unlike ducted fan eVTOLs, the VX4 prioritizes open rotor design for weight savings and higher thrust-to-weight ratio.

Regulatory Path: Civil Aviation Authority Involvement

The UK CAA granted Vertical Aerospace Design Organisation Approval (DOA). This allows it to conduct flight tests toward a Type Certificate, which is mandatory for passenger transport licensing.

Vertical is the only eVTOL developer in Europe currently conducting piloted wingborne tests under open airspace conditions. This regulatory head start may significantly impact timelines for commercial rollout.

Next target: A full mid-air transition flight—switching from vertical to wingborne flight—planned for Q3 2025.

Commercial Pipeline: Orders and Market Forecast

Vertical Aerospace has secured over 1,500 conditional preorders for the VX4. Buyers include:

• American Airlines
• Virgin Atlantic
• Avolon
• Marubeni Corporation

These preorders come with option agreements, not firm deliveries. The company is working toward initial production in 2026 and first deliveries by 2028.

The VX4 targets urban air mobility, intercity transfers, and short-range commercial shuttles in congested metro areas. Flight range and recharging cycles are tailored for high-frequency, low-distance operations.

Market Outlook: What's Next?

Vertical plans to test a hybrid-electric VX4 variant in 2026. This version will:

• Increase range to over 300 miles (480 km)
• Reduce recharge times between flights
• Broaden market access in regions without charging infrastructure

This hybrid platform will compete with Beta Technologies’ Alia-250, Joby S4, and Archer Midnight, all of which are vying for early adoption in U.S. and European airspace.

By 2030, Vertical projects VX4 production volumes to reach hundreds of units annually, driven by contracts with aviation operators and air taxi services.