Hanwha Aerospace to Supply Tilting & Blade Pitch System for British Firm, Vertical Aerospace's VX4 eVTOL Aircraft

Hanwha Aerospace has won approximately KRW 235.6 billion to provide Britain’s Vertical Aerospace (VA) with the Tilting & Blade Pitch System, a crucial component used in VA's four-seater VX4, an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

The agreement was made at the 'Seoul ADEX 2023,' Korea's premier aerospace and defense industry exhibition. The contract extends until 2036, reinforcing the partnership's commitment to the future of air mobility.

The Tilting & Blade Pitch System is an essential element of UAM, responsible for transmitting power from the motor to the propeller while adjusting the flight direction and thrust. This system enables both vertical takeoff and landing and horizontal movement, making it pivotal for the success of eVTOL technology.

This partnership builds upon a prior collaboration initiated in August of the previous year when the two companies signed a KRW 219.2 billion contract to develop and supply an electric actuator (EMA). The EMA controls UAM operations by harnessing electric energy to rotate the motor. Given VA's request for additional parts supply, the total contract's worth has now reached approximately KRW 454.8 billion.

VA is actively working toward the commercialization of its VX4 eVTOL aircraft by 2026 and has already secured more than 1,450 pre-orders from global airline operators.