Vertical Aerospace (NYSE:EVTL) outlined its strategy for commercial and defense electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, highlighting public flight demonstrations of its Valo aircraft, a certification pathway with U.K. regulators and more than 1,500 conditional preorders.
Speaking at the Lytham Partners Fall 2026 Investor Conference, Chief Engineer David King said the company was founded in 2016 by Stephen Fitzpatrick as a spinoff from Formula 1. King said Fitzpatrick developed the concept after encountering traffic congestion in São Paulo, Brazil, while considering advances in lithium-ion batteries and electric powertrains.
Valo Design Emphasizes Multiple Uses
King said Vertical’s flagship Valo aircraft was designed around versatility, with an oversized cabin and power capability intended to support multiple applications from a single aircraft platform. The company’s baseline configuration is designed for four passengers, though King said the cabin could ultimately accommodate five or six passengers as battery technology improves. The cockpit can accommodate two people, while the aircraft is intended to be certified for a single pilot.
The baggage compartment can hold 12 suitcases, according to King, but can also be adapted for other uses. Removing a bulkhead could create a longer cabin for air medical missions, while part of the compartment could house a turbo-generator in a hybrid-electric version of the aircraft.
King said the company estimates roughly 90% commonality between the all-electric aircraft and derivatives such as a hybrid-electric model. He said a hybrid-electric configuration could support defense cargo missions with a range of up to 1,000 miles.
Vertical is also evaluating autonomous and optionally piloted applications. King said the aircraft’s fly-by-wire flight-control system could be supplemented with automation for defense customers.
Flight Demonstrations and Certification Plans
King said Vertical flew its full-scale piloted prototype for five consecutive days at the Farnborough International Airshow in July 2026. The company said the aircraft completed a mission-representative profile including vertical takeoff and landing, transition to cruise flight, cruise maneuvers and a return to helicopter-mode operations.
According to King, the prototype has been flying since July 2024. He described the Farnborough event as the first public full-profile demonstration of its kind for an eVTOL aircraft, with more than 140,000 attendees at the airshow over the five-day period.
King emphasized the aircraft’s perceived quietness during cruise flight, saying attendees could see the aircraft but could not hear it. He said Valo’s four-propeller tiltrotor design cruises on a wing and is intended to address noise concerns that can limit helicopter operations around cities.
Vertical is pursuing certification with the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority, with concurrent validation by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and subsequent validations in other regions, including the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration, King said.
The company has used its full-scale prototype in a preliminary certification effort with the U.K. CAA, according to King. He said Vertical has received design organization approval and certain privileges to conduct some certification activities under CAA oversight.
King said the aircraft is being designed to an airliner-level safety standard, which he characterized as a one-in-one-billion failure-rate expectation. He said meeting that standard could support broader international acceptance of the aircraft’s certification basis.
Commercial Demand, Suppliers and Battery Technology
Vertical has more than 1,500 conditional preorders from customers globally, King said, adding that the company is beginning to reopen its order books. He also said the company is in advanced discussions with defense customers for the extended-range hybrid-electric derivative and is pursuing discussions in the United Kingdom, the United States and Europe.
The company operates what King described as a capital-efficient original equipment manufacturer model. Vertical is responsible for the aircraft and certification effort while relying on Tier 1 aerospace suppliers for many systems and equipment components.
For example, King said Honeywell Aerospace is expected to provide flight-control computers. Vertical plans to retain control of its battery systems and propeller designs, with propeller components manufactured by suppliers to the company’s specifications.
King said Vertical’s Energy Centre develops, tests and certifies battery systems, including algorithms and sensing technology used to manage battery energy in flight. The company also sees potential secondary-market applications for its batteries in energy-storage markets, he said.
At Farnborough, Vertical announced its U.K. government-sponsored ECLiPSE project, which King said is developing a proprietary high-power, fast-charging system that could be used for both aircraft and electric ground vehicles.
King said the company believes battery replacement and aftermarket activity could ultimately generate revenue exceeding aircraft sales, while continued improvements in battery energy density could support increased passenger capacity over time.
About Vertical Aerospace (NYSE:EVTL)
Vertical Aerospace is a United Kingdom-based aerospace company developing electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for short-distance passenger and cargo transportation. The company’s aircraft are designed to combine the vertical takeoff and landing capabilities of a helicopter with the potential operating benefits of electric propulsion.
Vertical Aerospace’s primary aircraft program is the VX4, a piloted, battery-powered eVTOL aircraft intended for commercial air taxi and regional transportation applications.
