A Bristol company that is developing an all-electric 'flying taxi' has struck a deal that will see it use artificial intelligence to speed up the testing of its aircraft.

Vertical Aerospace, which was established by Ovo Energy founder Stephen Fitzpatrick in 2015, will work with AI software provider Monolith to improve the performance of its VX4 vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and accelerate its time to market.

The South West-based firm will use AI for new design insights and more efficient test plans in less time, it said. The first project will focus on testing and simulation of the VX4’s supporting pylon structures for ground tests of the propeller and electric motor structural and performance requirements.

"Flight and ground tests for eVTOL are incredibly complex, expensive, and time-consuming, typically requiring engineers to spend hundreds of hours validating simulations across tens of thousands of parameters and operating conditions," a spokesperson for Vertical Aerospace explained.

London-based Monolith has a proven track record in aerospace engineering following recent projects with Airbus and BAE Systems on aircraft and drones.

Dr. Richard Ahlfeld, chief executive and founder of Monolith, said: “Urban air mobility has the potential to revolutionise how we travel, and one of the most promising contributors to this transformation is Vertical’sVX4.

"With Monolith, Vertical will model complex systems faster and accelerate test campaigns, enabling the company to learn more about design performance while reducing development and testing time.”

David King, chief engineer of Vertical Aerospace, added: "Transforming how the world moves requires constant innovation. Collaborating with Monolith allows us to harness cutting-edge AI technology to streamline our testing processes, enabling us to focus on the most impactful areas and accelerate the VX4’s journey to market."