|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Vertical Aerospace has brought its battery pilot production line online at the Vertical Energy Centre in southwest England, advancing the company’s path toward certification and commercial production of the Valo electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft.
The 15,000ft² (1,394m²) facility opened in 2023 and has produced the proprietary battery systems used in Vertical’s piloted flight testing since 2024. The batteries have delivered up to 1.4MW of peak power during flight testing, according to the company.
The facility has now been upgraded with automated, aerospace-grade manufacturing processes designed to improve efficiency, consistency and battery performance. Vertical will use the pilot line to build the final battery packs for its seven Valo certification aircraft, which will take the aircraft through the final stages of its certification program with the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Certification is targeted for 2028.
The line will also provide capacity for the first phase of commercial production following certification. Vertical expects to supply approximately 20 battery packs per aircraft over its operational life.
Stuart Simpson, CEO of Vertical Aerospace, said, “Bringing our automated battery production line online is a defining step in our journey toward certification and commercialisation. We are not only developing a world-class aircraft – we are building the industrial capability required to produce it. Vertical’s phased approach aligns manufacturing capability with its certification roadmap and early commercialisation strategy. By investing early in aerospace-grade battery manufacturing, we are reducing integration risk, strengthening supply chain control and preparing for commercial service.”
Alongside the pilot line, Vertical is developing a second facility, Vertical Energy Centre 2 (VEC2). The new 30,000ft² (2,787m²) powertrain hub, adjacent to the existing site, is expected to open later this year and will triple battery production capacity. Vertical expects to have invested US$8.5 million across both facilities by 2027.
