Vertical Aerospace has reached a significant milestone in its flight test programme for the VX4 eVTOL prototype.
The company has successfully achieved piloted, untethered vertical take-off and landing for the first time, marking the beginning of Phase 2 of its testing.
The VX4 prototype, powered by industry-leading battery packs delivering up to 1.4 MW of peak power, exceeded expectations in hover performance, control, and stability. This achievement follows the initial tethered hover condition in Phase 1, as the prototype now operates under more demanding conditions to ensure it meets the most stringent safety and regulatory standards.
Stuart Simpson, CEO of Vertical Aerospace, said; “It’s great to see the VX4 throw off the tethers and move to the next phase of our piloted test flight programme. We now enter a realm that very few companies in the world have achieved. Our team is thrilled with the significant strides we continue to make with the VX4 prototype as we expand our learnings and take another step towards connecting communities with faster, cleaner and safer travel.”
Simon Davies, Vertical’s Chief Test Pilot, who flew the VX4 prototype, added; “The aircraft performed absolutely brilliantly, and was really stable in the hover. The flight controls felt good, and it’s great to have the tethers off. Everything on the aircraft worked perfectly – no surprises, nice and boring – a great test flight. Definitely my favourite and most memorable flight in thousands of flight hours, but my job was really easy – standing on the shoulders of giants! So proud of our team.”
Vertical Aerospace will now progress through Phase 2, which will involve low-speed manoeuvres using lift generated by the propellers at its Flight Test Centre at Cotswolds Airport, UK. This phase will assess the aircraft’s stability, battery efficiency, control characteristics, aerodynamics, structural and dynamic loads, and performance across different speeds.
The company will work with the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to extend its Permit to Fly and move onto Phase 3 – wingborne flight tests. This next stage will involve piloted take-off, flight, and landing like a conventional aircraft using wing-generated lift, with a focus on expanding the transition envelope as safely as possible.
Vertical Aerospace is currently developing an identical full-scale prototype, which will accelerate the VX4’s flight test programme and demonstration capability. Once assembled, the company will incorporate the learnings from both prototypes into the design and development of the certified VX4 model.
