[3] The company flew its first prototype aircraft – an electrically powered quadcopter that weighed 750 kg (1,650 lb), named VA-X1[4] – in June 2018 at Cotswold Airport, Kemble, Gloucestershire.

[5][6][7] The aircraft, which was unmanned and remotely controlled, is capable of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL)[8] and has four electric engines, each inside a ducted fan.

[13] They also established Vertical Advanced Engineering, in order to apply technologies and agile processes from F1 to the development of eVTOL aircraft.

[18] In May 2021, former Airbus CEO Urban Mobility, Eduardo Dominguez Puerta joined Vertical Aerospace as Chief Commercial Officer.

[13] In December 2021, the company listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)[26] following the SPAC merger with Broadstone Acquisition Corp under the ticker EVTL.

[28] In the period between 2020 and 2022, under the leadership of Chief Engineer, Tim Williams, Vertical Aerospace successfully designed, built, and flew the VX-4 prototype aircraft.

This achievement marked a historic moment in the aerospace industry, as it was the first of its kind – a new technology, electric-powered aircraft – to be created in the United Kingdom in living memory.

The aircraft demonstrated its capabilities by lifting off, hovering, flying, and landing solely through the thrust generated by Vertical's proprietary battery packs.

[citation needed] In June 2021, the company teamed up with American Airlines, Avolon, Rolls-Royce, Honeywell and Microsoft's M12 as partners and investors.

In 2024, the company secured a $50 million investment from US distressed debt investor Mudrick Capital, consequently with a 70% shareholding, financing continued testing until the end of 2025.