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ACE 2026 - September 8th

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Skyports-led consortium launches Oxford–Cambridge trial
The six-month OxCam AAM Corridor project, supported by UKRI’s Future Flight programme, aims to test commercial eVTOL operations and strengthen regional connectivity.
A piloted VX4 eVTOL flight from Bicester Vertiport will mark a UK first for passenger operations.

Skyports Infrastructure, in partnership with a consortium of British aviation companies, has launched the OxCam AAM Corridor demonstrator to explore the commercial and operational viability of electric air-taxi operations between Oxford and Cambridge.

The six-month project, commencing on 1 October 2025, brings together Skyports, Bristow Helicopters, NATS, Vertical Aerospace and Oxfordshire County Council to accelerate the transition of advanced air mobility (AAM) from trials to viable regional operations within the UK.

Combining expertise in vertiport development, aviation operations, airspace management, aircraft technologies and regional planning, the consortium will focus on building a full operational ecosystem. This includes regulatory readiness, infrastructure integration and community engagement across the Oxford–Cambridge corridor.

A key milestone will be a piloted eVTOL demonstration flight of Vertical Aerospace’s VX4 prototype from Skyports’ Bicester Vertiport. This will be the first piloted passenger eVTOL flight in the UK from a vertiport, and its data will support ongoing OxCam simulations and demonstrations.

Supported by UKRI’s Future Flight: Regional Demonstrator 2, the project will help the UK advance toward commercial eVTOL services and contribute to national goals for improved connectivity, job creation and net-zero progress.

Duncan Walker, chief executive officer, Skyports, says: “This project is truly innovative in its pragmatic, end-end approach, demonstrating how AAM can deliver significant economic social and environmental benefits to UK communities, ultimately boosting the national economy and cementing Britain’s global leadership in future flight.

Michael Cervenka, chief commercial and strategy officer at Vertical Aerospace, says: “The UK is perfectly positioned to lead the next generation of sustainable aviation. Together, we are laying the groundwork for an entirely new mode of travel that will transform regional connectivity, support our economy and put Britain at the forefront of electric flight.”

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