British aviation tech company Vertical Aerospace has unveiled the most advanced prototype of its VX4 eVTOL aircraft yet.
According to the company, the VX4 is the only eVTOL aircraft designed, built and assembled in the UK.
The latest prototype comes shortly before the company begins a flight test programme at the Vertical Flight Test Centre once it has received a ‘Permit to Fly’ from the UK Civil Aviation Authority.
“We are the only UK business developing this type of aircraft which will work to reduce congestion, improve connectivity, and do so with zero emissions,” a Vertical Aerospace Spokesperson told Zag Daily. “Our certified aircraft will be used by airlines and local transport partners. Initially for short hops; the VX4 is designed to be affordable and will make sustainable urban air mobility accessible for all.”
The VX4 can cruise at a speed of 150mph, carry four passengers, and travel 100 miles on a single charge. Its battery and powertrain system developed in house is the company’s most powerful and lightest yet, and the prototype sees a 20% increase in power to weight ratio. It also features Vertical’s low-noise proprietary propellers made from carbon fibre composite.
60% of the prototype’s technology comes from Vertical’s strategic global aerospace partners, up from 10% on the last prototype. These partners include GKN Aerospace, Hanwha, Honeywell, Leonardo, Molicel and Syensqo.
British-based GKN Aerospace provided the wiring harness on all the VX4 prototypes, while Korean aerospace company Hanwha provided all the VX4’s electro-mechanical actuators and mechanisms. This includes tilt and pitch change for the front propellers and aerodynamic control surface actuators.
US-based Honeywell is providing flight control computers, avionics and flight control software. Italian-based Leonardo manufactured the VX4’s composite fuselage and pylons, Taiwanese company Molicel powers the VX4 with its latest P45 battery cell, and the VX4 prototypes have used composite materials from Belgian materials company Syensqo.
“Our partners have decades of experience in aerospace technology and safety standards, and they have been integral to helping develop what we believe is the most advanced eVTOL on the market.”
Vertical is currently developing an identical full-scale prototype to accelerate the VX4’s flight test programme, which focuses on achieving piloted flight. Learnings from both prototypes will inform the design and development of the certified VX4 model.
