Vertical Aerospace VX4
Vertical Aerospace · United Kingdom · Air Mobility · also known as VX4, Vertical Aerospace Valo, Valo · Updated
The VX4 is a piloted all-electric vertical take-off and landing air taxi developed by Vertical Aerospace of Bristol, in the United Kingdom. It is designed to carry a pilot and four passengers, and it has been the company's flying prototype through a staged test programme that reached piloted transition flight in 2026. In December 2025 Vertical gave the production configuration a new name, Valo.
Design and capabilities
The VX4 mounts eight propellers on its wing. The four forward units tilt: they lift the aircraft vertically on take-off and then rotate to provide forward thrust in cruise. The four rear motors operate only during take-off and landing and are stationary in wing-borne flight. Power comes from Vertical's own battery systems, and the aircraft has no fuel-burning engine in this configuration.
Vertical states a cruise speed of up to 150 mph, about 240 km/h, and a range of up to 100 miles, roughly 161 km. The company describes a 50 dBA output in cruise, which it says is below normal urban background noise, and it describes the aircraft as quieter than a helicopter. Maximum take-off weight, wingspan and length have not been published in the sources used here.
The aircraft carries a pilot on board. The transition flights flown in 2026 were performed by Vertical's chief test pilot, and the company's stated design is a piloted one with four passenger seats behind the pilot. Vertical has described Valo, the production configuration revealed on 10 December 2025, as carrying aerodynamic and other updates over the VX4 and as designed for up to six people.
Programme status
Vertical designed, built and flew the VX4 prototype between 2020 and 2022. The first prototype made a tethered vertical take-off and landing in September 2022, and an uncrewed test flight followed at Kemble in 2023. The aircraft was damaged during uncrewed testing at Cotswold Airport on 9 August 2023. A second full-scale prototype was revealed in 2024 with greater power, and piloted hover flight tests were carried out in January 2025.
On 14 April 2026 the VX4 completed a piloted transition between vertical and wing-borne flight at Kemble airfield in south-west England, flown by chief test pilot Simon Davies. Flight testing has proceeded under a permit to fly from the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority; the company works with the CAA on type certification and has not been issued a certificate. Vertical has said first commercial flights could take place in 2028, but no regulator has confirmed a date.
Vertical has announced pre-orders rather than deliveries. American Airlines has a conditional pre-order for up to 250 aircraft with an option for 100 more, announced in June 2021, and Vertical has described forward sales under pre-orders for up to 1,000 aircraft across partners including Avolon and Virgin Atlantic. Rolls-Royce, Honeywell, GKN Aerospace and Solvay have worked on the programme.
FAQ
Is it flying today? Yes, as a prototype. The VX4 has flown piloted transitions but is not certified and does not carry passengers.
How many people does it carry? Five in total: one pilot and four passengers.
Is it the same as Valo? Valo is the name Vertical gave the updated production configuration of the aircraft in December 2025.
