Hanwha Aerospace signed a parts contract worth approximately KRW 235.6 billion with Vertical Aerospace (VA), a global urban air mobility (UAM) developer, at ADEX 2023 in Seoul, Korea’s aerospace and defense industry exhibition.
Under the contract, Hanwha Aerospace will supply the Tilting & Blade Pitch System for VA’s four-seat VX4 electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft through 2036.
The system is a key component of the UAM, which transmits engine power to the propeller and adjusts the flight direction and thrust of the UAM, enabling vertical takeoff and landing and horizontal movement.
Previously, in August 2022, the two companies signed a contract for the development and supply of the EMA, an electric mobility actuator worth approximately 219.2 billion won, which controls the operation of the UAM with the rotational power of a motor using electric energy. The latest contract was made as an integrated contract as VA requested the supply of additional parts and the existing EMA, and the total contract amount is approximately 454.8 billion won.
VA is developing VX4 with the goal of commercializing it in 2026. In addition, the company has already secured more than 1,450 pre-orders from several global airlines.
Moon Seung-hak, head of Hanwha Aerospace’s Electric Propulsion Systems Division, said, “Following the EMA contract, our company has signed another contract related to the tilting and blade pitch system. With this, our ability to develop and produce UAM key parts has been recognized by one of the global companies, and our company will secure competitiveness in key parts needed in the future mobility field.”
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