U.K.’s Vertical Thinks U.S. Will Lead Way in Electric Air Taxis

Developer brings its flagship Valo to the U.S. and announces a network of New York City-area routes.

Jack Daleo

Thursday, January 29, 2026 at 11:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Zach Vasile

Vertical brought a full-scale model of its flagship Valo air taxi to the Classic Car Club Manhattan in New York City last Friday [Credit: Jack Daleo/FLYING]

Key Takeaways:

U.K. developer Vertical Aerospace has introduced its Valo eVTOL air taxi to the U.S. market, identifying it as the biggest near-term opportunity despite intense competition, and plans to establish a New York City air taxi network.
Valo aims to differentiate itself with a larger design capable of seating up to six passengers and offering significantly more cargo space than competitors, providing enhanced revenue potential for operators.
Vertical Aerospace is pursuing concurrent certification with U.K. and European authorities by 2028, leveraging higher European safety standards for easier U.S. approval, and is using its U.S. tour to attract further investment needed for certification.

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U.K. electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer Vertical Aerospace this month brought its flagship Valo air taxi to the U.S., where it could compete with eVTOL designs from Joby Aviation, Archer Aviation, Beta Technologies, Boeing’s Wisk Aero, and others.

Vertical has around 1,500 preorders, with about one-third coming from each of the Americas, Europe, and Asia. The company will face more competition to sell its aircraft here than across the Atlantic, where European regulators have taken a more patient approach to eVTOL regulations than the FAA. But Michael Cervenka, Vertical’s chief commercial and technology officer, believes the U.S. is where the action will be.