by Elsie Clark | Apr 7, 2026 | Innovation
UK advanced air mobility (AAM) developer Vertical Aerospace have completed the first piloted transition test flight of their Valo eVTOL.
Taking place on April 2 in Gloucestershire, UK, the test saw the aircraft take off and land in a simulation of a runway environment. Vertical will next target the second half of a two-way transition system, where Valo takes off and lands vertically.
David King, chief engineer at Vertical Aerospace, said,
Completing this piloted transition milestone is a profound achievement and the result of years of engineering innovation and disciplined test execution.
The aircraft performed exactly as designed, transitioning smoothly and under full control – proving the core elements of Vertical’s distributed electric propulsion and tiltrotor technology at full scale, in real flight conditions. This is not yet final mission accomplished, but it is a pivotal technical proof point on our path to two-way transition.
The test flight took place under the Permit to Fly programme, run by the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in partnership with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Based in Southwest England, Vertical report 1,500 pre-orders for Valo and recently announced a funding package worth US$850 million to continue aircraft development.
In February, the company courted controversy when rival American eVTOL developers Archer announced they were suing Vertical for patent infringement. Both firms have pitched potential New York air taxi networks, while Archer has threatened Vertical on home turf by establishing a base in Bristol, UK. Vertical dismissed the claims, stating Archer made them to distract from challenges in the competitive air taxi market.
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by Elsie Clark | Mar 10, 2026 | Innovation
Eve Air Mobility are partnering with Sydney-based startup Alt Air and Skyports to bring a commercial eVTOL network to Australia.
The three companies will collaborate to develop sustainable infrastructure that will make air taxis viable transport in Queensland and New South Wales. With Brisbane set to host the Olympic Games in 2032, Eve believe Australia provides the ideal environment to build vertiports and develop systems for ground operations, route planning, and airspace integration. Johann Bordais, Chief Executive Officer at Eve Air Mobility, said:
Through this collaboration, we are laying the foundation for a world-class eVTOL ecosystem in Australia. New South Wales and Queensland present an incredible opportunity to deliver sustainable, quiet, and efficient urban air mobility solutions that will benefit residents, businesses, and international visitors, especially as we look toward the opening of Western Sydney International Airport and the global stage of the Brisbane 2032 Games.
The consortium is prioritising development on potential high-demand routes, including Western Sydney Airport to central Sydney. Aaron Shaw, Managing Director at Alt Air, added:
Our work with Eve Air Mobility and Skyports underscores our shared commitment to building meaningful aviation innovation in Australia. Together, we are designing an eVTOL network that will significantly improve connectivity and set a benchmark for advanced air mobility worldwide.
Eve have previously signed agreements with the government of Bahrain for developing commercial eVTOL service across the Middle Eastern country. Rivals in the space, including Archer, Joby, and Vertical, are in the process of designing potential air taxi networks in metropolises including Dubai, Miami, and New York.
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by Elsie Clark | Mar 2, 2026 | Innovation
Korean Air and Skyports have announced a new partnership for developing eVTOL operations. Announced at the Drone Show Korea, the collaboration builds on the expertise of both partners to build scalable solutions for advanced air mobility (AAM) integration.
Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the Air Control & Routing Orchestrated Skyway System (ACROSS), Korean Air’s proprietary flight ops and air traffic management system, will be linked to Skyports’ Vertiport Automation System (VAS) for vertiport infrastructure control. Together, these two platforms can provide infrastructure for commercial eVTOL development, including check-in, security, boarding, and arrivals.
A Korean Air representative comments:
ACROSS delivers integrated flight control and air traffic management for the low-altitude aviation environment. As vertiports serve as the essential interface for these operations, our partnership with Skyports, a global leader in infrastructure, is a critical milestone in building a safe and efficient AAM ecosystem.
Joint demonstrations and piloting programmes will help the partnership strengthen development of AAM as a public transportation arm. The ACROSS system has already been validated by the Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) through Phases 1 and 2 of the K-UAM Grand Challenge.
Skyports have emerged as the industry leaders in vertiports. Sites in Dubai are expected to host commercial operations later this year, while the company is also developing infrastructure in South Korea’s Jeju Island alongside Abu Dhabi and New York.
Ankit Dass, Chief Technology Officer, Skyports, commented:
Whilst eVTOL aircraft development is progressing at a good pace, there are still various unknowns around how they would operate and navigate effectively in the real world environment. This partnership with Korean Air reflects our shared vision to create the technologies and operational frameworks needed to bring Advanced Air Mobility to life.
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by Elsie Clark | Feb 25, 2026 | Innovation
Archer Aviation have sued British rivals Vertical Aerospace, claiming the company’s latest Valo eVTOL design infringes the patent for their Midnight air taxi.
The California-based company has been ramping up testing of Midnight as it plans for certification from the Federal Aviation Authority (AAM). A spokesperson for Archer argued:
After years of developing its VX4 aircraft, Vertical has abandoned that design and unveiled a new aircraft, Valo, which is a visual mimic of Archer’s Midnight aircraft’s award-winning industrial design.
They added that Vertical had ‘knowingly, willfully’ copied Archer’s designs, including flight control systems and methods for managing battery power and flight propulsion. Vertical have dismissed Archer’s lawsuit as ‘without merit’, asserting that the company are attempting to distract the media from wider problems associated with its eVTOL development programme.
In a statement, Vertical said:
Archer’s claims are merely an attempt to distract from Archer’s challenges competing in the marketplace. Vertical has developed a robust aircraft design with a clear path to certification, underpinned by Vertical’s proprietary and market-leading technology and international IP portfolio.
Archer and Vertical’s rivalry has grown more intense in recent years as both companies struggle to gain leverage in an increasingly competitive AAM market. In February this year, Archer announced they were establishing a new base in Bristol, UK, the city where Vertical are headquartered. Meanwhile, Vertical challenged Archer and Joby, another competitor in the space, by announcing plans for a New York air taxi network. Neither company is certified in the US, UK, or abroad as both try to prove eVTOL networks can be safe and efficient modes of transport.
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by Elsie Clark | Feb 6, 2026 | Innovation
Chinese developers AutoFlight have debuted Matrix, what they claim is the world’s first 10-passenger eVTOL. Weighing five tons, the air taxi took to the skies for the first time in a public demonstration on 5 February.
AutoFlight say the design even includes washbasins and lavatories in the cabin. Most eVTOLs in development are configured for four to six passengers, meaning Matrix could represent a significant advancement.
AutoFlight’s CEO and Founder, Tian Yu, said:
Matrix is not only a rising star in the aviation industry but also an ambitious industry disruptor. It will break the industry perception that eVTOL = short-haul, low-load, and will reshape the rules of eVTOL routes.
With a 20-metre wingspan, the aircraft uses up to 20 fifth-generation lift motors, providing reliability in the event of engine failure. At the demonstration, Matrix successfully completed the full transition sequence, from vertical take-off to cruise flight and vertical landing. AutoFlight’s CarryAll cargo eVTOL also participated in the demonstration.
The pure-electric Matrix variant can travel up to 200km in one journey, while the hybrid variant has a range up to 1,500km.
Yu added:
Through economies of scale, it significantly reduces transportation costs per seat-kilometre and ton-kilometre, revolutionizing costs and embracing profitability. It covers all scenarios from urban commuting to intercity feeder routes, driving the expansion of the entire low-altitude ecosystem.
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