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:

Vertical Aerospace is entering the competitive U.S. eVTOL market with its Valo air taxi, viewing it as the largest near-term market opportunity and planning an initial New York City air taxi network.
Valo aims to differentiate itself by offering a larger passenger capacity (eventually up to six) and significantly more luggage space (1,200 lbs payload) compared to rival eVTOLs, alongside an aerodynamically optimized and efficient design.
The company is targeting concurrent 2028 certification with UK and European authorities under stringent safety standards, which they anticipate will facilitate U.S. approval, and is also developing a hybrid-electric variant for expanded range and mission versatility.
Vertical's U.S. roadshow serves to increase its visibility among existing and potential investors, aiming to secure additional capital needed for Valo's certification and market deployment.

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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.