• 2 min read
Vertical Aerospace to Fly Valo at Farnborough
Vertical Aerospace will show its Valo eVTOL to the public for the first time at Farnborough after UK regulators widened its flight-test approval.
Image: ITzine
Vertical Aerospace is set to show its Valo eVTOL to the public for the first time outside its own test site. The British company plans demonstration flights at the Farnborough International Airshow after the UK Civil Aviation Authority expanded its test permit.
At the show, Vertical Aerospace will present piloted flights of a full-scale prototype and display a full-scale mockup of the production version of Valo alongside it. For eVTOL programs, that kind of public appearance matters: as long as an aircraft stays in hangars and private test ranges, it is easy to dismiss as a concept. A live public flight changes that.
The company has already carried out piloted transitions between vertical and horizontal flight modes. With the broader approval, Valo can now be tested not only at Vertical Aerospace’s own base, but also at other sites across the UK, including airfields and an airport.
Vertical Aerospace’s schedule now runs through 2027. By the end of 2026, the company plans to complete final design checks ahead of certification, launch a pilot production line in the third quarter, and expand its Vertical Energy Centre in the fourth quarter. In parallel, it is looking for a turbogenerator supplier for a hybrid-electric version of Valo.
The next phase of flight testing is planned for the first half of 2027. That should show how quickly the project can move from demonstrations to series production.
Recommended reading
Altayvagon patents freight car with opening roof
The eVTOL market is already crowded. Joby Aviation began flight demonstrations in Dubai in 2024, Archer Aviation is building out its certification program in the US, and EHang has already received commercial status for some of its unmanned aircraft. Against that backdrop, Valo’s public appearance at a major airshow is both a showcase and a way for Vertical Aerospace to stay visible in the certification race.
Frontier Editor
Dan is our resident futurist, covering electric mobility, space exploration, and the smart home. He's interested in atoms just as much as bits. Whether it's a new battery chemistry, a reusable rocket, or a protocol that finally makes IoT devices talk to each other, Dan breaks down the engineering that pushes humanity forward.
via ITzine
