Vertical Aerospace (NYSE: EVTL) completed the maiden piloted flight of its final full-scale electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) prototype on June 5, 2026, doubling the manufacturer’s flight test capacity ahead of its upcoming Critical Design Review.

The flight took place at 8:49 BST at the company’s United Kingdom Flight Test Centre. According to a press release issued on June 9, 2026, the successful sortie followed the issuance of a new Permit to Fly from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and marks the last major hardware iteration before the company establishes its certifiable design baseline.

Advancing toward Critical Design Review

The introduction of this final prototype is a prerequisite for the manufacturer’s Critical Design Review (CDR). Completing the CDR will freeze the aircraft’s design and clear the way for Vertical Aerospace to begin assembling its first pre-production airframes for the Valo four-passenger aircraft program.

Test Pilot Paul Stone commanded the June 5 flight. The addition of a second active aircraft to the test fleet allows the company to accelerate its data collection and validation processes.

“Getting our latest prototype into flight testing is an important milestone because it allows us to learn faster in real world conditions and keep building momentum towards certification,” Vertical Aerospace CEO Stuart Simpson said in the company announcement. “Expanding the flight test fleet will help us validate the aircraft more quickly, reduce risk, and move more efficiently towards bringing Valo into service.”

Dual-track flight test campaign

Vertical Aerospace is now operating two full-scale prototypes simultaneously. The company’s previous prototype is currently engaged in transition flight testing. That aircraft completed a milestone one-way transition flight on April 2, 2026, and continues to expand its flight envelope through thrustborne, wingborne, and transition phases.

The newly flown prototype will initially focus on all-electric flight testing. Once those phases are complete, the manufacturer intends to retrofit the aircraft for hybrid-electric flight testing. This future configuration is intended to support defense, logistics, and broader commercial applications beyond short-range urban air mobility.

The Valo program currently holds approximately 1,500 pre-orders from operators and lessors including American Airlines, Avolon, Bristow, GOL, and Japan Airlines.

AirPro News analysis

Reaching the final prototype stage is a critical threshold for any eVTOL developer. For Vertical Aerospace, getting a second aircraft into the air mitigates the schedule risk inherent in relying on a single test article. If one aircraft requires maintenance or modifications, the flight test campaign can continue. We view the planned hybrid-electric retrofit as a strategic pivot to expand the Valo’s addressable market, acknowledging that pure battery-electric range limitations may restrict early commercial use cases. Securing the UK CAA Permit to Fly for this specific airframe also demonstrates ongoing regulatory alignment as the company approaches its CDR.

Sources: Vertical Aerospace

Japanese eVTOL manufacturer SkyDrive Inc. announced on June 24, 2026, that its SKYDRIVE Model SD-05 aircraft successfully reached a speed of 100 km/h during flight testing in Toyota, Japan, validating the aerodynamic stability and flight control systems of the 12-rotor multicopter.

In a press release issued by the company, SkyDrive stated the high-speed flight test campaign confirms the aircraft functions as predicted during the design and analysis phase. The 100 km/h milestone is considered the viable operating speed for the short-hop inter-urban commercial flights the company plans to launch in 2028.

Flight test parameters and technical validation

The achievement of the 100 km/h speed target verifies the performance of the aircraft’s propulsion, flight control, and avionic systems under high-speed forward flight conditions. The testing campaign in Toyota was designed to evaluate the aircraft’s high-speed stability, controllability, and maneuverability.

The SKYDRIVE Model SD-05 utilizes a compact multicopter architecture featuring 12 independent rotors. Reaching this speed demonstrates the maneuverability and controllability required to advance the aircraft toward type certification with Japanese regulators.

Certification progress and manufacturing

The flight test milestone follows recent regulatory progress for the manufacturer. On April 15, 2026, SkyDrive received Approved Design Organization (ADO) certification from the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB).

The ADO certification allows the manufacturer to self-verify specific portions of airworthiness checks. This regulatory approval made SkyDrive the first dedicated eVTOL developer in Japan to secure ADO status. Production of the SD-05 aircraft is already underway, having commenced in March 2024 at a manufacturing facility owned by Suzuki Motor Corporation.

Commercial expansion and fleet orders

As the aircraft advances through flight testing, SkyDrive has accumulated commercial commitments both domestically and internationally. On May 12, 2026, the manufacturer announced a Letter of Intent with Tohoku Air Service for the purchase of one SD-05. This agreement marked the first aircraft sale commitment from a Japan-based helicopter operator.

Internationally, SkyDrive reached a general understanding on January 30, 2026, with Dubai-based AeroGulf Services Company LLC for the potential purchase of up to 20 SD-05 aircraft. The agreement represents the manufacturer’s first detailed commercial exploration outside of the Japanese market.

To support domestic operations, SkyDrive launched Japan’s first vertiport operators’ consortium on May 12, 2026. The initiative aims to promote commercial eVTOL services across the Kansai area, with a target of establishing 100 operational air taxis around Osaka by 2035.

AirPro News analysis

We view the 100 km/h flight test milestone as a critical technical gate for the SD-05 program. Multicopter designs that rely on 12 independent rotors without a transitional wing face distinct aerodynamic challenges at higher forward speeds. Validating stability at 100 km/h indicates the flight control software and rotor pitch mechanisms are successfully managing the differential thrust required for forward flight. Combined with the recent JCAB ADO certification and the manufacturing partnership with Suzuki Motor Corporation, SkyDrive is assembling the necessary regulatory and industrial framework to meet its 2028 commercialization target.

Sources: SkyDrive Inc.

French aerospace manufacturer AURA AERO has acquired the strategic assets of hybrid-electric developer VoltAero, absorbing its patents, engineering expertise, and a 2,400-square-meter industrial facility in Rochefort, France.

Announced in a press release on June 23, 2026, the transaction consolidates France’s emerging Electric-Aviation sector by transferring VoltAero’s Cassio S flying demonstrator and years of hybrid-electric propulsion data to AURA AERO. The acquisition follows VoltAero’s recent struggles to secure funding after a key backer withdrew, according to reporting by Aviation Week.

Asset transfer and operational expansion

The Acquisitions provides AURA AERO with a complementary operational base on the French Atlantic coast. The 2,400-square-meter (approximately 25,000-square-foot) Rochefort facility features direct runway access, supplementing AURA AERO’s existing headquarters at Toulouse-Francazal Airport.

Along with the physical infrastructure, AURA AERO absorbs a portion of VoltAero’s staff and its prototyping capabilities. The most significant technological asset included in the deal is the Cassio S hybrid-electric demonstrator. Since flight testing began in 2019, the Cassio S has completed 270 test flights and covered 25,000 kilometers (approximately 15,500 miles).

Jérémy Caussade, President and co-founder of AURA AERO, outlined the strategic value of the acquisition in a statement provided to Aviation Week:

Acquiring VOLTAERO’s assets, and in particular the Cassio S, means integrating years of testing, data, and experience in hybrid-electric propulsion. This transaction serves as a catalyst for industrial, technological, and human growth. It strengthens our teams, expands our capabilities, and reaffirms our ambition: to build in France one of the world leaders in the aviation of tomorrow.

Financial divergence and program acceleration

The consolidation highlights the capital-intensive nature of advanced air mobility and hybrid-electric aircraft development. Founded in 2017 by former Airbus Chief Technical Officer Jean Botti, VoltAero had been actively seeking new investment to sustain its Cassio 330 production aircraft program. Aviation Week reported that the lack of funding following the withdrawal of a financial backer ultimately necessitated the asset sale.

Conversely, AURA AERO enters the acquisition well-capitalized. On April 17, 2026, the company announced a €50 million Series A funding round backed by Bpifrance, the European Innovation Council (EIC) Fund, and Safran Corporate Ventures. FLYING Magazine reported that AURA AERO also secured €120 million in subsidies from the French government, the state of Florida, and the EIC Fund.

AURA AERO plans to leverage the newly acquired hybrid-electric architecture experience to accelerate its own product lines. The company is currently developing the 19-seat Electric Regional Aircraft (ERA), the INTEGRAL trainer aircraft family, and the ENBATA surveillance Drones.

AirPro News analysis

We view this acquisition as a natural and necessary consolidation within the European hybrid-electric aviation market. The divergence in financial fortunes between AURA AERO and VoltAero underscores a broader industry trend where technical viability must be matched by aggressive, sustained capitalization. By absorbing VoltAero’s assets, AURA AERO eliminates a domestic competitor while acquiring a mature flight-test data package. The 270 flights logged by the Cassio S demonstrator represent a significant de-risking asset for AURA AERO’s ERA program, potentially shortening the development timeline for its own hybrid-electric propulsion systems.

Sources: AURA AERO