Horizon completes hover testing of VTOL scale prototype

The maker reports that its aircraft is extremely stable, is capable of full hover at only 65% power, and has hovered with 20% of its fans purposely disabled in order to test system redundancy.

Horizon Aircraft has successfully completed initial hover testing of its “Cavorite X5” scale prototype.

Brandon Robinson, CEO of Horizon Aircraft says: "This aircraft has exceeded expectations during initial hover testing. It is extremely stable, is capable of full hover at only 65% power, and has hovered with 20% of its fans purposely disabled in order to test system redundancy. This is a large-scale aircraft, with a 22 foot wingspan, over 15 feet in length, and capable of speeds over 175 mph. It continues to yield valuable data that is constantly improving our full-scale design.”

Horizon's patented eVTOL concept allows the aircraft to fly 98% of its mission in a very low-drag configuration like a traditional aircraft and is one of the only eVTOL aircraft currently able to do so. The company says that flying most of the mission as a normal aircraft is safer, more efficient, and will be easier to certify than radical new eVTOL designs. The full-scale aircraft will also be powered by a hybrid electric system that can recharge the battery array in-flight while providing additional system redundancy.

Horizon Aircraft plans to move to transition flight testing in Q1 2023 at the world class ACE Climatic Wind Tunnel located near Toronto, Ontario.