Vertical Aerospace’s newest full-scale eVTOL prototype has completed its first piloted flight at the company’s UK Flight Test Centre. The flight took place on 9 June 2026 and signals the start of an expanded test campaign for the aircraft.
The prototype entered piloted testing after Vertical received a new Permit to Fly from the UK Civil Aviation Authority, following validation and ground testing. The aircraft is the company’s latest full-scale prototype and is now moving into a more advanced phase of development.
Vertical said the new aircraft will support a broader flight-test effort, adding capacity to its programme as it advances toward further certification progress. Piloted flight represents a more mature stage of testing than unmanned or ground-based work, and the company’s newest prototype is intended to support that next phase.