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VTOL Just Took a Quantum Leap: Sikorsky’s Bold Reveal at Verticon 2025
Inside Sikorsky’s VTOL Future: The Rotor Blown Wing, Autonomy & Electrification with Igor Cherepinsky
We sat down with Igor Cherepinsky, Director of Innovations at Sikorsky, live at Verticon 2025. If you’ve been watching the buzz around the Rotor Blown Wing—this is the guy behind it. In this episode, Igor shares what’s real, what’s hype, and what’s next in VTOL innovation.
From distributed electric propulsion to autonomous Black Hawks, Igor pulls back the curtain on the technology Sikorsky is building today—and what it means for tomorrow’s rotorcraft and mission-critical systems.
In This Episode, You'll Learn:
✔️ What the Rotor Blown Wing actually is—and why it’s a game-changer
✔️ Why autonomy isn’t just “remote piloting”—and how Matrix works in the real world
✔️ How hybrid-electric design unlocks new aircraft performance and flexibility
✔️ Why 3D-printed gears and housings are reshaping aviation manufacturing
✔️ The real problem with scalability in eVTOLs—and what most startups are missing
✔️ How Sikorsky is designing a family of VTOLs with both military and civil use cases in mind
✔️ The tech stack that’s making autonomy boring (on purpose)
00:00 – What is the Rotor Blown Wing?
01:09 – Meet Igor: from flight controls to innovation lab lead
03:08 – Sikorsky’s Matrix autonomy system explained
06:16 – VTOL vision: vertical flight beyond helicopters
07:13 – Why flight control laws matter in transition
10:11 – Why autonomy matters more than propulsion
12:09 – Design freedom through electrification
13:14 – Building reliable, redundant motors in-house
14:24 – Manufacturing shift: 3D-printed gearboxes
15:28 – What’s next: building a 9,000 lb aircraft
16:27 – Igor’s 10-year vision: certified VTOLs across defense & civil
17:22 – Final thoughts and open invite to innovators
Stay Connected with Hangar X Studios:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hangarxstudios
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hangarxstudios
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hangarxstudios
Twitter/X: https://x.com/hangarxstudios
Learn More:
Sikorsky Innovations: https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/capabilities/sikorsky.html
Connect with Igor Cherepinsky: https://www.linkedin.com/in/igor-cherepinsky-441182107
#igorcherepinsky #sikorskyinnovations #hangarxpodcast #verticon #rotorblownwing #vtol #aerospace #electricaviation #helicopter #sikorskyair
View all episodes
By John RamsteadInside Sikorsky’s VTOL Future: The Rotor Blown Wing, Autonomy & Electrification with Igor Cherepinsky
We sat down with Igor Cherepinsky, Director of Innovations at Sikorsky, live at Verticon 2025. If you’ve been watching the buzz around the Rotor Blown Wing—this is the guy behind it. In this episode, Igor shares what’s real, what’s hype, and what’s next in VTOL innovation.
From distributed electric propulsion to autonomous Black Hawks, Igor pulls back the curtain on the technology Sikorsky is building today—and what it means for tomorrow’s rotorcraft and mission-critical systems.
In This Episode, You'll Learn:
✔️ What the Rotor Blown Wing actually is—and why it’s a game-changer
✔️ Why autonomy isn’t just “remote piloting”—and how Matrix works in the real world
✔️ How hybrid-electric design unlocks new aircraft performance and flexibility
✔️ Why 3D-printed gears and housings are reshaping aviation manufacturing
✔️ The real problem with scalability in eVTOLs—and what most startups are missing
✔️ How Sikorsky is designing a family of VTOLs with both military and civil use cases in mind
✔️ The tech stack that’s making autonomy boring (on purpose)
00:00 – What is the Rotor Blown Wing?
01:09 – Meet Igor: from flight controls to innovation lab lead
03:08 – Sikorsky’s Matrix autonomy system explained
06:16 – VTOL vision: vertical flight beyond helicopters
07:13 – Why flight control laws matter in transition
10:11 – Why autonomy matters more than propulsion
12:09 – Design freedom through electrification
13:14 – Building reliable, redundant motors in-house
14:24 – Manufacturing shift: 3D-printed gearboxes
15:28 – What’s next: building a 9,000 lb aircraft
16:27 – Igor’s 10-year vision: certified VTOLs across defense & civil
17:22 – Final thoughts and open invite to innovators
Stay Connected with Hangar X Studios:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hangarxstudios
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hangarxstudios
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hangarxstudios
Twitter/X: https://x.com/hangarxstudios
Learn More:
Sikorsky Innovations: https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/capabilities/sikorsky.html
Connect with Igor Cherepinsky: https://www.linkedin.com/in/igor-cherepinsky-441182107
#igorcherepinsky #sikorskyinnovations #hangarxpodcast #verticon #rotorblownwing #vtol #aerospace #electricaviation #helicopter #sikorskyair