A Bristol company designing and building the VX4, a piloted all-electric air taxi that takes off and lands vertically.
Vertical Aerospace is a British aerospace company that designs and builds the VX4, an all-electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, often called an eVTOL or air taxi. The VX4 is made to carry a pilot and passengers up to about 100 miles, and the company says it will be quieter than a helicopter. It uses eight propellers: some tilt from lifting the aircraft up to pushing it forward, while the wings do most of the work in cruise. Its own engineers work on the airframe, the flight controls, the electric motors and the batteries.
The company describes its aim as making air travel personal, on-demand and carbon-free. Its chief executive, Stuart Simpson, has said of the aircraft, "This thing works. We know we can certify this." Chief engineer David King has stressed safety, saying "Power margin equals safety margin" when explaining the extra power built into the powertrain. Vertical's job adverts say the firm values ingenuity, courage, safety diligence, openness and teamwork.
Vertical was founded in 2016 by Stephen Fitzpatrick, who earlier founded the energy company OVO. The head office is in Bristol. Test flying happens at the Flight Test Centre at Cotswold Airport near Kemble in Gloucestershire, where a first prototype flew in 2018. A September 2025 report says the VX4 will be assembled at Cotswold Airport and that battery production is being expanded at a site in Avonmouth, near Bristol. Wikipedia reports a piloted switch between helicopter-style and aeroplane-style flight in April 2026, which shows the work is still going on.
A job listing from October 2025 describes a supportive, inclusive workplace with mentoring from experienced engineers and early responsibility, though it also calls the work fast-paced and challenging. Benefits listed there include a company bonus, a share scheme open to all employees, a pension matched by the company and free breakfast every day. These are the company's own claims. A job-board profile in 2025 put the staff at about 460 people, and an earlier report said around 350.
Vertical has recruited graduates directly. In October 2025 it advertised a Junior Design Engineer in the airframe team and a graduate role in flight controls, both in Bristol. They asked for a degree or final-year study in aerospace, mechanical or structural engineering, or for MATLAB, Simulink and Python skills in the controls role, and said people who do not meet every requirement should still apply. Applicants sent a CV and short cover letter, then had a video call, a group exercise and a technical interview. Both listings have now expired, so check Vertical's careers page for the next round. A 2024 listing also invited people to register interest in 2025 graduate recruitment. We did not find an apprenticeship scheme.
Website: vertical-aerospace.com
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