Hanwha to supply actuators for Vertical Aerospace's UAM business

Hanwha Aerospace Co., South Korea’s leading aircraft engine maker, is accelerating the expansion of its urban air mobility (UAM) business.  

The Korean company has signed a deal to develop and supply $165 million worth of electromechanical actuators for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to UK UAM manufacturer Vertical Aerospace Group, Hanwha said on Tuesday.  

Between 2025 and 2035, Hanwha Aerospace will exclusively supply electromechanical actuators to the group for control surface, tilt and blade-pitch control. The actuators will be used for VX4, Vertical Aerospace’s four-passenger aircraft that aims to kick off commercialization in 2025.  

The Korean firm is also planning to win certificates required for eVTOLs from the UK-based Civil Aviation Authority or the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, as well as build a mass production and supply system.  

The deal follows Hanwha Aerospace and Vertical Aerospace signing a partnership deal at the Farnborough Airshow held in London last month.  

Before that, Hanwha Aerospace and defense firm Hanwha Systems Co. invested $115 million in aggregate in Series B funding for California-based UAM company Overair Inc., the Korean aircraft engine maker said in June.

Also, Hanwha Aerospace will supply electric batteries and motors, core components of a UAM eco-friendly powertrain, to Overair by 2023. The components are embedded for XP-1, Overair’s experimental aircraft Butterfly prototype.

Hanwha Aerospace aims to lead the future mobility industry using its technologies developed for aircraft engines and actuators, the company said.

Write to Kyung-Min Kang at kkm1026@hankyung.com
Jihyun Kim edited this article.