Vertical Aerospace unveils £1.5m Cotswold Airport factory for electric air taxis
Vertical Aerospace has unveiled a £1.5 million factory at Cotswold Airport to build its Velo electric air taxi, with paying flights planned for 2030 and 1,500 orders claimed.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Vertical Aerospace has unveiled a new factory at Cotswold Airport where it plans to build electric air taxis. The company said the site is part of its effort to design, engineer and manufacture its Velo aircraft in the UK.
The Velo is a battery-powered electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft. It is designed to take off like a helicopter, fly like an aircraft and land like a helicopter. Vertical Aerospace says the aircraft is fully electric, which it describes as a major step in decarbonising aviation and helping to ease traffic congestion.
The company unveiled a new £1.5 million factory at Cotswold Airport. It used the event to highlight its commitment to the West of England. It said Bristol is an aviation hub for Europe, with around 360 staff based in the centre of Bristol and almost 270 aviation-related companies nearby. It also pointed to nearby universities in Bath, Bristol and Oxford as sources of talent and capability.
Vertical Aerospace claims it has 1,500 orders for the Velo, mostly from airlines. It says it could be making 900 aircraft a year within a decade. For now, only one person gets to fly it. A pilot described the aircraft as incredibly simple to fly, adding that it is a bit like a helicopter and a bit like an aeroplane, but really neither.
Once in service, the Velo is expected to carry up to four passengers and their suitcases. The company claims fares will be no more than a conventional taxi. If plans stay on track, paying customers could take to the skies in 2030. The aircraft shown at the event was a mock-up of the flying taxi Vertical Aerospace ultimately plans to roll out.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One |
|---|---|
| Vertical Aerospace claims it has 1,500 orders for its Velo air taxi, mostly from airlines. | |
| Vertical Aerospace says its Velo air taxi will carry up to four passengers and their luggage, with fares claimed to be no higher than a conventional taxi. | |
| Vertical Aerospace unveiled a £1.5 million electric air taxi factory at Cotswold Airport. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The coverage is a local, upbeat business and technology report from the airport. It focuses on the new £1.5 million factory, the Velo prototype and the company's claims about future passenger flights, orders and fares. It also stresses the West of England's aviation talent and supply chain, while giving little attention to certification, safety or infrastructure questions.
- “Our air taxi is designed, engineered and built here in the UK. And it will take off like a helicopter, it will fly like an aircraft and it will land like a helicopter. And it's battery powered.”
- “Vertical Aerospace claims to have 1,500 orders for the Velo, mostly from airlines.”
- “So Bristol is the aviation hub for Europe. So we're based right in the centre of Bristol.”
Who was on air
People and organisations each channel put on air while covering this story. Channels' own presenters and reporters are not listed. Names as transcribed, and the list can miss people.
- 13:40 BST
“Vertical Aerospace has unveiled a brand new factory”
BBC News at One including... · Fri 25 Sept
Broadcast Timeline
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