British Flying Taxi Takes to Skies For First Time
- Editor OGN Daily
- 12 hours ago
- 2 min read
Britain has conducted its first-ever air taxi flight after an electric aircraft took a cross-country trip over the Cotswolds.
The prototype VX4 electric aircraft designed to be capable of taking off and landing vertically like a helicopter, has just made a conventional “wing-borne” flight in open airspace, after receiving approval from the Civil Aviation Authority. It marks the first time the aircraft has flown in normal airspace outside of strict test conditions, and you can see the aircraft in action in the video below.
Vertical Aerospace is among a cluster of companies developing what have been dubbed flying taxis, which can ferry passengers in quiet, zero-emissions aircraft in or between urban areas. The UK government has set a target to make flying taxis a reality by 2028.
Rivals have undertaken test flights in Dubai and the US, but Vertical Aerospace’s flight is the first time a flying taxi has performed a journey in open airspace in Europe. The company has received millions of pounds in UK government funding to develop the VX4, as well as raising tens of millions of pounds from private investors, reports The Telegraph.
The aircraft is designed to take off vertically or on a runway, with its propellers either holding it in a hovering pattern or tilting to operate more like a traditional light aircraft. It can carry one pilot and four passengers, and offers a range of up to 100 miles and speeds of 150mph.
The VX4’s next major test flight will seek to demonstrate its vertical take-off capabilities and its shift from hovering to cruising using its wings. A milestone that a US rival - Joby Aviation - achieved with its eVTOL a few weeks ago, and now looks to be on track for FAA certification.