The Vertical Flight Society (VFS), the world’s leading non-profit organization working to advance vertical flight, reports that it has continued to experience record growth, propelled largely by the continued expansion of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) / advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft developments around the world. 

As of Oct. 1, 2021, a total of 160 companies and other organizations have joined VFS as corporate members, a net increase of 10 new members over the past six months. This is a 60% increase since January 2018, when the Society exceeded 100 members, and a 110% increase over the past five years. In addition, the Society now has more than 6,300 individual members. This is nearly a 20% net increase in individual members since January 2018, when VFS had 5,300 members.

Growth in VFS corporate members over the past decade, despite the 2014 defense cuts

Historically, the vertical flight industry was dominated by helicopter manufacturers and their suppliers, but an entirely new sector has emerged in the past several years, led by companies developing eVTOL aircraft to serve potential new markets, such as urban air taxis, air ambulance services, logistics, cargo, organ transport, and other civil and military missions. 

“The Vertical Flight Society has been leading efforts to advance electric VTOL since 2014 and has helped create the growing technical community across the eVTOL ecosystem,” said VFS Executive Director Mike Hirschberg. “As interest in eVTOL / AAM has exploded around the world and attracted nearly $10 billion in investments, VFS has helped build a community for this burgeoning segment, working together to realize the transformative potential of what we see as an ‘Electric VTOL Revolution.’”

The next major gathering of the rapidly growing eVTOL community will be on Jan. 25-27, 2022, in San Jose, California, when VFS hosts the 9th Annual Electric VTOL Symposium — the world’s largest and longest-running event focusing on the incredible promise, progress and challenges of eVTOL aircraft — as part of the Society’s Transformative Vertical Flight 2022 meeting. This event also features the semi-annual Electric VTOL Short Course on Jan. 24, and a special event at the Hiller Aviation Museum on Jan. 28 that will feature an outdoor exhibit of cutting-edge eVTOL aircraft at the adjacent San Carlos Airport.

In addition, VFS continues to lead efforts to advance the capabilities of helicopters and advanced rotorcraft. The Society is hosting its latest Rotorcraft Structures and Survivability Technical Meeting on Oct. 27-28, 2021, at the Hampton Roads Convention Center in Hampton, Virginia. The theme for the two-day conference is “Innovative Structures and Survivability Solutions for Vertical Lift.” The meeting will highlight research and development, both current and planned, related to manned and unmanned rotorcraft structures, crash safety and vulnerability reduction.

VFS is also supporting the EUROPEAN ROTORS — VTOL Show & Safety Conference on Nov. 16-18, 2021, in Cologne, Germany. It’s organized by the European Helicopter Association (EHA) in cooperation with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). VFS is hosting four sessions at the event, covering vertical flight research, helicopter safety, advanced rotorcraft technology and AAM developments.

“These past few years have seen amazing progress in vertical flight,” Hirschberg said. “Our members in industry, academia and government agencies around the world are working to advance rotorcraft and eVTOL aircraft, solving key challenges to produce more capable, safer, quieter and more economical aircraft for civil and military applications.”

New VFS Corporate Members who joined VFS since April 1, 2021, are listed below. Descriptions of each company, including links to websites and contact information, are found in the VFS Corporate Member Directory. Information on the benefits and rates for corporate membership are posted on the VFS Corporate Membership page.

Name                                                                                             Membership Class

AnalySwift, LLC.                                                                         Small Business

Archer                                                                                           Small Business

Eagle Aviation Technologies, Inc.                                           Small Business

Electric Power Systems, Inc. (EPS)                                        Small Business

Elroy Air                                                                                       Small Business

Helo Holdings, Inc.                                                                   Associate

Hydroplane, Ltd                                                                         Small Business

Le-Vanta Tech, LLC                                                                   Small Business

LogistiWerx, Inc.                                                                       Small Business

Plug Power, Inc.                                                                        Small Business

Sentient Science                                                                        Small Business

Tier 1 Engineering                                                                    Small Business

UP.Partners                                                                               Small Business

Woolpert                                                                                    Associate

Yamato Holdings Co., Ltd.                                                    Bronze