The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has introduced its Delivery Model for commercial eVTOL flights, a template set to guide the safe entry of electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft into the UK. The model dictates the regulatory framework that will form the basis of the entry of these new aircraft into the UK airspace in preparation for commercial operations to begin by the end of 2028.
The framework translates regulatory goals into practical measures to ensure eVTOL aircraft can share airspace safely with conventional planes. The CAA worked in close consultation with industry, government, and international stakeholders to create these guidelines. Airway regulation already in place is the basis for the system, but it has been modified to take into account the special factors and added sophistication that eVTOL technology brings. Safety is always paramount, while the regulator aims to encourage innovation and expansion within the sector.
EVTOL technology, says the CAA, offers not only a chance to strengthen the UK’s position as an aviation innovator but also to contribute to wider decarbonization ambitions and unlock new opportunities in air transport. The delivery model for commercial eVTOL flights sets out both the objectives and the principles the regulator will follow to ensure that the sector develops responsibly.
Sophie O’Sullivan, Director of Future Safety and Innovation at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said:
“The emergence of eVTOL offers new opportunities for the aerospace industry and the potential to reshape how people travel and goods are delivered.
“Our eVTOL Delivery Model outlines how we as a regulator are working to enable this new industry to operate with the highest safety standards, and our ambition to put in place the regulatory framework to facilitate commercial eVTOL operations in the UK by the end of 2028 in line with the government’s objectives.”
