Olsen Actuators and Drives selected by Vertical Aerospace to deliver key components for its prototype eVTOL aircraft

Vertical Aerospace has chosen Olsen Actuators and Drives to provide the actuation and drives package for the primary flight control actuation systems of its prototype pre-production eVTOL aircraft, the VA-4X.

The four Tilt Rotor Actuation systems provided by Olsen comprised a modified COTS (Commercial Off the Shelf) high-capacity servo roller screw actuator which offers some unique features. They include a precision BISS-C position encoder, high-capacity parking brake and D38999 connectors coupled with high strength stainless main rods.

These actuators are packaged with ESI Motion servo drive electronics. The measured dynamic performance during chirp testing exhibited better than expected frequency responses five times faster than anything Olsen has tested during the past 15 years and 10 times faster than leading high end industrial servo drive brands.

Piers Olsen, CEO of Olsen Actuators and Drives said: “We are proud to have been selected to provide our actuators for such an ambitious and ground-breaking project and it’s been a great experience to work with the team.

“It’s helped us to grow as a company and develop capabilities in advanced manufacturing here in the UK. We look forward to using this experience to enable us to explore more opportunities with Vertical Aerospace and the wider global eVTOL market in the future.”

Vertical Aerospace’s VA-1X made its maiden flight in September 2022. This was followed by the VA-1X concept aircraft which accumulated hundreds of flight hours of testing with tilt thrust vector control throughout 2023.

The most recent iteration of the planned VX4 aircraft performed its first piloted flight in July 2024, while loosely tethered to the ground, during which Vertical measured over 20,000 flight and system parameters to verify thrust, handling qualities and system performance.

The Blade Pitch is fully designed and manufactured in the UK utilising a completely bespoke solution created by Olsen to the required specifications.

Olsen internal load testing rigs were used to validate the design performance, heat rise times and endurance life testing, dynamic and static performance and impact loading.

External qualification testing has been completed to independently verify that the design complies with the relevant EMC, shock, vibration and environmental requirements and limits as defined in the DO160G testing standards.

Adam Bargh, Technical Director, Olsen Actuators and Drives, added: “It’s been a pleasure to work closely with the Vertical Mechanical & Digital systems teams and being able to afford agile response to design iterations addressing specification changes and compliance with additional requirements along this journey. We are pleased Vertical will be able to get to market so quickly with its new classification of aircraft.”

Founded in 2004 through its provision of complete solutions in precision technical markets, Olsen Actuators & Drives delivers electro-mechanical systems including customised patented electric actuators combined with power electronics.

High-profile applications include power turbine valve control, manned primary flight controls in the aerospace & space sector, dynamic static and endurance testing of components and systems in the prime contractor defence sector and clean energy-efficient pressing and sealing, moulding and dispensing in the medical and pharmaceutical sector.

Olsen is currently working towards full approval with AS9100 and hope to have this in place by Q1 2025. The company also continues to invest heavily in R&D and has a technology roadmap to new UK Aero COTS actuator product lines.

Click here to listen to a recent eVTOL Insights podcast, which featured Piers Olsen, Chairman of Olsen Actuators & Drives.

Additionally, click here to watch a recent video Piers did during eVTOL Insights’ Europe Conference in London last week.