Hanwha Aerospace Collaborates with UK VA Company on UAM Parts Development

Memorandum of Understanding Signed at Paris Air Show on 19th
Development of UAM Flight Direction and Thrust Control System

Hanwha Aerospace announced on the 20th that it has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the UK-based global UAM (Urban Air Mobility) specialist company, Vertical Aerospace (VA), for UAM development.

Son Jae-il, CEO of Hanwha Aerospace (right), and Steven Fitzpatrick, CEO of VA (left), are posing for a commemorative photo after signing a memorandum of understanding for UAM development. Photo by Hanwha Aerospace

At the MOA signing ceremony held on the 19th (local time) at the Paris Air Show in France, Hanwha Aerospace CEO Son Jae-il and VA CEO Steven Fitzpatrick, along with other officials, attended to discuss cooperation plans.

Through this agreement, the two companies will ▲ have Hanwha Aerospace develop and supply the 'Tilting & Blade Pitch System' to be applied to VA's 4-seater UAM 'VX4' currently under development, and ▲ continue an active partnership to expand the UAM business in the future.

The Tilting & Blade Pitch System is a key system that transmits motor power to the propellers and controls the flight direction and thrust of the UAM. Since it must enable both vertical takeoff and landing and horizontal flight, a high level of research and development capability is required.

VA highly evaluated the technological capabilities confirmed through the supply contract for the 'Electro-Mechanical Actuator (EMA)' controlling various mechanical movements of the UAM, signed with Hanwha Aerospace in August last year, and decided to expand the scope of cooperation.

Son Jae-il, CEO of Hanwha Aerospace, said, "Based on over 40 years of accumulated aircraft technology competitiveness, we will strengthen our cooperative relationship with the global UAM company VA and expand our future mobility business."

Steven Fitzpatrick, CEO of VA, said, "We had the opportunity to collaborate starting with the development of the electro-mechanical actuator with Hanwha Aerospace last year, and through this agreement, the scope of collaboration has expanded, deepening our partnership even further."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.