Volz Servos supported Vertical Aerospace’s successful full two-way piloted transition flight of its full-scale electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) prototype.
The flight, completed in April 2026 by Vertical’s Chief Test Pilot Simon Davies, involved switching from helicopter mode to airplane mode and back again in one continuous piloted flight. For tiltrotor eVTOL aircraft, managing this transition is one of the defining technical challenges, requiring vertical take-off, efficient wingborne flight, and vertical landing to operate together reliably.
To control all flight-control surfaces on the prototype aircraft, Volz Servos integrated its advanced DA 30-HT, DA 30-HT-D, and DA 58-D actuators. The deployment also utilized the Controller Area Network (CAN) protocol within the servos to meet the demanding technical requirements of modern electric aviation architecture.
Volz Servos CEO Phillipp Volz, said, “eVTOLs are a new category of aircraft and have to prove that they are safe to fly over densely populated urban areas. We are extremely proud to have contributed to Vertical completing a piloted transition flight in a full-scale tiltrotor aircraft in regulated airspace, under a CAA Design Organisation Approval.”
Jenny Harcourt, Vertical VP Procurement & Supply Chain, added, “This is a highly significant milestone for us. It validates the defining capability of our aircraft and marks a major step forward on our path to certification and commercial service. It also proves that we are at the forefront of this emerging industry. And it is Volz’s achievement too.”
The successful flight serves as an industry demonstration of why reliable, high-performance actuation systems are essential for the next generation of advanced air mobility platforms.
