Vertical Aerospace has been awarded the Shaping the Future Award by the UK’s Aerospace Technology Institute at its Technology & Innovation Awards 2024.

The award celebrates zero-carbon emissions technology being developed in the UK for future commercial aircraft types and which represents a step change in UK capability in this area. Vertical won the award for its cutting-edge battery system for eVTOL aircraft.

Vertical is seeking to do something which has never been successfully done before by any business, namely develop a high-performance battery system specifically to power commercial aircraft. Working with Oxford University and University College London’s Electrochemical Innovation Lab, Vertical has produced a battery that is lightweight, able to deliver peak power of 1.4MW and rapidly charge. The battery system was unveiled in July with Vertical’s latest full-scale VX4 prototype, marking its first use in a piloted aircraft.

The judging panel, chaired by Laura Cuss, programme director of the Hydrogen Capability Network, unanimously chose Vertical Aerospace as the winner. The award was presented to chief commercial and technology officer Michael Cervenka at the ATI Conference 2024 held at the ICC Wales.

Cuss says: “Vertical Aerospace is shaping the future for the UK to have a strong position in not only this new market segment for eVTOLs, but also the wider battery electric aircraft market, with high potential for spillover and collaboration with many other sectors. Vertical Aerospace has a put a strong focus on developing the UK supply chain, therefore having a positive impact on the UK economy, creating high value jobs and developing leading capability in the UK. It is also leading the charge for the UK in the development of the regulatory regime for the eVTOL segment. Overall, the work of Vertical Aerospace is enhancing the UK’s attractiveness and positioning in a competitive global market, making it a very worthy winner of the Shaping The Future Award.”

Cervenka adds: “I had the privilege on behalf of our team of receiving this award for all the incredible work we are doing on our battery technology to pioneer electric aircraft. Our innovation in this area is not only crucial for the future of aviation but also sets the stage for wider innovation across multiple industries and is a space the UK can lead in globally, creating highly skilled jobs and fuelling economic growth. As we begin Phase 2 of testing, which will see the VX4 aircraft undergo piloted thrustborne flight tests, this award is a strong endorsement of our efforts to shape the future of electric aviation and change the way we travel.”