Aircraft
Vertical Sees Asia-Pacific as Dominant eVTOL Market
Customers for Valo aircraft include Japan Airlines and Air Asia
Vertical Aerospace Valo eVTOL
Vertical Aerospace's Valo eVTOL aircraft will carry up to six passengers with checked baggage for onward airline flights. © Vertical Aerospace

Vertical Aerospace expects the Asia-Pacific region to be the biggest market for early use cases of eVTOL aircraft such as the six-passenger Valo model it aims to bring to market in 2028. The UK manufacturer already has multiple prospective operators in that part of the world, including Japan Airlines, Air Asia, and leasing group Marubeni.

At the Singapore Airshow, Vertical is displaying a one-eighth scale model of the Valo, which features several design changes from the VX4 prototype it has been flight-testing since 2022. The new design features what Vertical claims is a more aerodynamic airframe with an under-floor battery system, a redesigned wing, and new propeller architecture. The company said some of the changes have come at the suggestion of prospective launch customers.