EDINBURGH - Commuters travelling between London and Brighton could be making the trip via air taxi as soon as 2024.
The start-up plans to manufacture the VA-1X, capable of carrying up to five people including the pilot, in the UK. The emissions-free plane will reach cruise speeds of 150 miles per hour. Mr Cervenka, who formerly worked on a flying taxi concept for Rolls-Royce Holdings, said such a model is now becoming viable, commercially, given today's technology. The VA-1X will be powered by lithium-ion batteries, the company said.
Vertical Aerospace's work so far has been funded by founder Stephen Fitzpatrick, who also founded energy firm OVO. There also are plans at some point to implement up-front customer deposits.