Vertical Aerospace eVTOL Prototype Goes Down During Uncrewed Test Flight

The company confirmed the August 9 accident in an SEC filing, and photos show significant damage to the aircraft.

Jack Daleo

Monday, August 14, 2023 at 05:19 PM ET

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Vertical’s VX4 prototype, registered as G-EVTL, went down at Cotswold Airport last week. [Courtesy: Vertical Aerospace]

Key Takeaways:

Vertical Aerospace's VX4 eVTOL prototype crashed during an uncrewed test flight on August 9th, reportedly while performing a motor failure test scenario, resulting in significant damage and a pause in flight testing.
The accident is expected to further delay Vertical Aerospace's already pushed-back certification target (now 2026) and could exacerbate its need for additional funding amidst rising costs and competition.
The incident underscores the inherent challenges faced by the nascent Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) industry, as competitors like Joby Aviation and Lilium have also experienced setbacks and delays.
Despite the current challenges and funding trailing rivals, Vertical Aerospace holds the industry's second-highest order backlog for its eVTOL aircraft.

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An accident last week involving an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft could add a few suspicious glares to the wide eyes anticipating the birth of advanced air mobility (AAM) services.

On August 9, an eVTOL made by U.K.-based manufacturer Vertical Aerospace—a prototype of the company’s VX4, registered as G-EVTL—came down during an uncrewed test flight at Cotswold Airport (EGBP) in England. As reported by the U.K.’s Pilot, an airfield source claimed the aircraft was conducting inflight shutdowns when it impacted from about 20 feet high.