Vertical Aerospace Will Fly Valo eVTOL Aircraft at Farnborough

Our Bureau - : Jul 19, 2026 - : 11:19 am

British aircraft developer Vertical Aerospace plans to conduct the first public demonstration flights of an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft at the Farnborough International Airshow, marking another step toward commercial certification.

The company said it will fly its Valo eVTOL aircraft during the airshow, subject to weather and regulatory approvals. The demonstrations follow the expansion of the company's Permit to Fly by the UK Civil Aviation Authority, allowing the aircraft to operate publicly beyond its flight test base at Cotswold Airport for the first time.

The flights come after Vertical Aerospace completed piloted transition testing, in which the aircraft successfully shifted between vertical lift and wing-borne forward flight — a key milestone in the certification process for eVTOL aircraft.

In addition to the flight demonstrations, the company will display a full-scale production model of the Valo aircraft, which it is developing for future commercial passenger services.

Vertical Aerospace said it plans to complete the aircraft's Critical Design Review by the end of 2026, establishing the final configuration required for certification and the production of certification-conforming aircraft.

The company also expects to begin operating an early production assembly facility in the third quarter of 2026 and expand its battery development capabilities later in the year. Hybrid-electric flight testing is targeted for the first half of 2027 after the selection of a long-term turbogenerator supplier.

The Farnborough demonstrations come as eVTOL manufacturers race to secure regulatory approval and begin commercial operations. Companies including Joby Aviation, Archer Aviation and Vertical Aerospace are competing to bring electric air taxis into service, targeting urban mobility and regional transportation markets over the next several years.