Horizon Aircraft has successfully completed initial transition flight testing of its electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) prototype in an ACE climatic wind tunnel.
The move continues the trend of air taxis moving toward commercialization as they ramp up testing and regulations to deploy the aircraft in the next few years.
Over the course of one year several air taxi vendors have successfully made their first transition flight, a critical point where the aircraft goes from a hover to a flight mode. This includes:
Called Cavorite X5, the prototype features a hybrid eVTOL concept that allows the air taxi to fly 98% of its mission in low-drag configuration such as traditional aircraft. Horizon said it is one of the only eVTOL aircraft able to do so.
Additionally, the Cavorite X5 can operate in short takeoff and landing (STOL) or conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) modes and can recharge the battery array in-flight while providing additional system redundancy and flexibility, Horizon said.
The company said it will move to outdoor transition flight testing shortly as they continue the design of their full-scale aircraft. Final assembly for flight testing is scheduled for 2025.
