Flying taxi startup Vertical Aerospace wants to launch service by 2022

Vertical
Aerospace’s flying vehicle.
G F
Williams

• Flying vehicle startup Vertical Aerospace has conducted
  the first test flight of its electric vertical take off and
  landing aircraft.
• The firm hopes to provide inter-city flights to up to
  two passengers within four years.
• It’s the latest in a long line of companies racing to
  provide flying-taxi services, including Uber, Kitty Hawk, and
  Rolls Royce.

Uber isn’t the only firm that wants to make flying taxis a
reality. Bristol-based startup Vertical Aerospace says
it wants to provide an intercity flying taxi service in the UK by
2022.

The company was founded in 2016 by OVO Energy CEO Stephen
Fitzpatrick, and now it’s conducted its first test flight.

Vertical Aerospace’s eVTOL
aircraft in flight.
G F
Williams

The electric vertical take off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft went
for an unmanned flight over Cotswold Airport in Gloucestershire,
England in June after gaining permission from the Civil Aviation
Authority (CAA), according to Vertical Aerospace.

The company is planning to provide inter-city flights with its
vehicles within four years, which would accommodate two
passengers and one pilot, with plans to grow to take four
passengers.

A spokeswoman also told Business Insider that autonomous
on-demand flights could come further down the line.

Of the 28 engineers and technical experts at Vertical Aerospace,
some have come over from Formula 1, and have applied similar
technology to developing the vehicle.

“We’ve learned a lot from Formula 1, both in terms of technology
and pace of development. The lightweight materials, aerodynamics
and electrical systems developed through F1 are highly applicable
to aircraft, much more so than to road transport,” said
Fitzpatrick in a statement.

“By putting those technologies in the hands of experienced
aerospace engineers, we can build cutting edge aircraft for the
21st century.”

Vertical Aerospace’s eVTOL
aircraft.
G F
Williams

Vertical Aerospace is the latest to join the likes of
Uber,
Kitty Hawk, and
Rolls Royce in racing to create an accessible flying taxi
service.