Vertical Aerospace has secured a long-term agreement with Astronics Corporation to supply the low-voltage power distribution system for its Valo electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
Under the contract, Astronics will deliver power conversion and distribution hardware designed to manage and protect electrical power across critical systems. The hardware is responsible for converting high-voltage electrical power from the propulsion architecture into the low-voltage power required by essential onboard systems, including avionics and flight controls.
This agreement solidifies a relationship established during the prototype phase, where Astronics hardware was already integrated into Vertical’s piloted flight test aircraft. By cementing this partnership, Vertical strengthens an aerospace supplier ecosystem that already includes Honeywell for flight control and aircraft management systems, Aciturri for airframe structures, Evolito for electric propulsion units, Hyundai WIA for landing gear, Syensqo for composite materials, and Isoclima for transparencies.
Stuart Simpson, CEO of Vertical Aerospace, stated, “Building a certifiable aircraft requires not only breakthrough technology, but also a world-class supplier ecosystem. Astronics brings deep expertise in aircraft electrical power systems and has already demonstrated its capabilities through our flight test programme. This agreement is another important step as we mature Valo’s design, strengthen our supply chain and advance toward certification and commercial production.”
Jon Neal, President of Astronics Advanced Electronic Systems, added, “Astronics is proud to be working with Vertical Aerospace as the supplier of their power distribution system for the Valo aircraft. Our CorePower® system is purpose-built for eVTOL applications, combining high-voltage power conversion with low-voltage power distribution delivering reliable, fault-protected power to flight-critical systems including avionics, flight controls, and navigation. CorePower was designed from the ground up to meet aerospace certification standards, giving our customers a lightweight, compact solution that reduces integration risk and supports their path to type certification. We look forward to continuing our close collaboration with the Vertical team through CDR and Valo’s entry into service.”
The announcement comes as the Valo program advances toward its Critical Design Review (CDR). This upcoming milestone will establish the certifiable design baseline for the aircraft ahead of certification-conforming production and subsequent testing phases.
