Skyfly Axe SN001 Granted FAA Experimental Status
Move marks key step for U.S. testing of Skyfly’s Vertically Capable Aircraft and toward possible production and customer demonstrations as soon as 2026.
By Matt Ryan
Skyfly announced this week that its prototype Axe Vertically Capable Aircraft (VCA) has received an Experimental certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration, allowing it to begin piloted flight testing in the United States.
The British company said moving testing to the U.S. will allow Skyfly to continue its development program through the winter months, taking advantage of more stable weather conditions.
Skyfly said it plans to conduct verification flights this winter ahead of customer demonstrations beginning in early 2026.
“Receiving FAA Experimental authorization is a major milestone for Skyfly,” said CEO Michael Thompson in a statement. “It allows us to move forward with piloted flight testing under the world’s most respected aviation regulator, while positioning the Axe at the heart of the U.S. market—the largest and most dynamic general aviation community in the world.”
The company added that the United States is expected to be its largest market for personal eVTOL and VCA aircraft.
This is largely thanks to the FAA’s updated MOSAIC rules announced in July, which are expected to pave the way for eVTOL and VCA aircraft to be certified as Light Sport Aircraft for the first time. Sport Pilots and better will thus likely be able to fly aircraft like the Axe.
The company said the two-seat aircraft offers a fully electric range of 100 miles—or 300 miles with a hybrid option—and features eight brushless motors for redundancy, a glide capability for enhanced safety, and what it said is an advanced Veronte 4x flight control system.
