Horizon Cavorite takes off

The hybrid electric vertical takeoff and landing design could eventually become all-electric, and Horizon Aircraft claimed other advantages over rival eVTOL prototypes.

“In our aircraft, the transition phase was designed from the beginning to be a non-event, as there are no complicated multi-copter rotating nacelles or heavy tilt-wing mechanisms, and we have multiple layers of redundancy. The result is an extremely safe and stable transition, a vital part of eVTOL operations, and an area in which many of our competitors have faced serious challenges,” said Brian Robinson, chief engineer and cofounder of Horizon Aircraft, in a press release.

The X7 uses Horizon’s patented HOVR technology, a fan-in-wing design, to achieve vertical takeoffs and landings. Five battery-powered fans are embedded in each wing and two in each forward canard. The wing surfaces slide open for vertical takeoff and close once the X7 reaches altitude and transitions to forward winged flight, driven by a push-propeller in the rear connected to a combustion powerplant that also charges the batteries connected to the vertical-lift fans. Arriving at the destination, the X7 can land on a runway or vertically within a space the size of a tennis court. Being able to land with batteries at or near full charge reduces turnaround times.

The forward swept wing design is meant to enhance handling at low speed and higher angles of attack, the aerodynamic profile during the transition from vertical to horizontal flight.

According to the company’s website, the X7 is designed to carry up to six passengers and one pilot or 1,500 pounds useful load for vertical operation, and 1,800 pounds for runway takeoffs. Its maximum range is projected to be 500 miles, with a maximum cruising speed of 250 knots. “That means it will be able to go faster and farther—while carrying more people or cargo—than other vertical takeoff and landing aircraft born of more traditional helicopter designs.” The long-term goal is for the X7 to become fully electric as battery technology evolves. The company aims to have the eVTOL certified for flight into known icing.

Apart from serving urban transportation, the company has ambitious plans for other uses, including evacuating patients from isolated areas; organ transplants; disaster response; delivery of cargo to underserved, remote areas; and municipal missions such as traffic observation, crowd control, or evacuation procedures.

For military applications, the X7’s wings fold in a way that would allow two of these aircraft to fit in a Boeing C–17 Globemaster III. It will be able to land on the deck of an aircraft carrier, and the hidden fans and shielded rear prop give it a smaller acoustic and thermal signature.

Horizon was founded by E. Brian Robinson and his son, E. Brandon Robinson, in 2013. Both have significant experience in aviation and maintenance. The younger Robinson flew McDonnell Douglas CF–18s in the Royal Canadian Air Force. A full-scale prototype of the X7 is anticipated in 2027, with Canadian type certification in 2028.