Vertical Aerospace’s VX4 flying taxi is set to revolutionize transportation in London and other cities. The compact aircraft can transport passengers from Heathrow Airport to Canary Wharf in just 13 minutes, compared to the 80 minutes it takes by car. Urban Air Mobility (UAM) is a new form of transportation that aims to transport people in small air taxis over shorter or medium distances in cities. This not only reduces travel time for customers but also relieves the congested traffic situation on the roads. Vertical Aerospace, a British company, has successfully tested its VX4 flying taxi. The electric aircraft was flown remotely, without a pilot on board, at Cotswold Airport in Gloucestershire, reaching a speed of around 75 km/h. This is the first free test flight after the VX4 was tethered in September 2022.
The VX4 is an Electric Vertical Take-off and Landing Aircraft (eVTOL), which means it can take off and land vertically, eliminating the need for a conventional airport. It can also pick up and drop off passengers in narrow city spaces. The aircraft is powered by four electric tilting propellers that tilt 90 degrees for takeoff and landing. The compact VX4 can accommodate a pilot and four passengers. With a total power output of over one megawatt, the flying taxi is expected to fly at speeds of around 320 km/h in the future, with a maximum range of over 160 kilometers.
Vertical Aerospace plans to use the VX4 to transport passengers from Heathrow Airport to Canary Wharf in just 13 minutes, a journey that takes around 80 minutes by car. The company originally announced the VX4 in 2018, with plans to launch it in 2022. Unfortunately, the timeline has been delayed, and the company now hopes to receive the necessary certification for the VX4 by the end of 2026, making it market-ready. The VX4 flying taxi is set to transform transportation in cities, reducing travel time and relieving traffic congestion on the roads.
