Valo, unveiled in London on Dec. 10. Source | Vertical Aerospace

Earlier this month, Vertical Aerospace (London, U.K.) revealed Valo, the company’s new commercial electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft that will enter into service following regulatory approval.

Valo is the composites-intensive aircraft that succeeds Vertical’s VX4 prototype, featuring a more advanced design shaped by extensive insights from the company’s piloted test program and direct feedback from airline and operator customers.

Developed in collaboration with aerospace partners, including Honeywell, Syensqo and Aciturri, Valo introduces a more aerodynamic airframe, an under-floor battery system, redesigned wing and propeller architecture, upgraded materials and full certifiable redundancy to meet rigorous safety standards.

Designed to fly up to 100 miles at speeds of up to 150 miles per hour with zero operating emissions, Valo is targeting airliner-level safety certification in 2028 ahead of entering service with Vertical’s airline and operator customers. Early commercial routes are expected to include airport-to-city center connections. 

Valo’s premium cabin will launch with four seats, offering panoramic windows, generous personal space and a cockpit divider for enhanced safety and privacy. The aircraft’s flexible design enables expansion to six seats, with the potential to improve operator economics and lower fares for passengers. Valo’s platform also supports emergency medical services, cargo missions and in the future, defense, hybrid and autonomous variants.

Crucially, Valo features the largest cargo hold within its class, developed in response to airline feedback. With room for six cabin bags and six checked bags, passengers are able to travel without compromise, Vertical Aerospace reports.

Vertical is now close to completing full piloted transition flight with its full-scale prototype. Earlier test phases validated hover, thrustborne and wingborne performance, generating thousands of data points that directly shaped Valo’s certifiable design. The company will now build seven certification aircraft in the U.K. to support final testing with the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) ahead of targeted type certification in 2028. After certification, Valo will enter commercial service.