The Cavorite X7 Horizon Aircraft
Canada-based aerospace engineering company Horizon Aircraft has hit a significant milestone by becoming the first eVTOL developer to achieve stable wing-borne flight transition with its large-scale prototype aircraft, Cavorite X7, using a fan-in-wing design.
The Cavorite X7 demonstrator is designed primarily as a conventional aircraft but with a unique twist—it can take off and land vertically like a helicopter, combining traditional fixed-wing performance with the versatility of eVTOL capability. The aircraft uses 14 fans embedded within its airframe—five in each main wing and two in each forward canard—to enable vertical takeoff and landing.
Hidden lift fan system for smooth vertical takeoff
Horizon Aircraft developed a patented mechanism that cleverly allows the wing surfaces to slide open, exposing the battery-powered lift fans during vertical flight. As the aircraft transitions to forward flight, the wing surfaces close, turning it into a conventional fixed-wing aircraft powered by a gas turbine engine driving a rear push-propeller.
The patented fan-in-wing system builds on established technologies, using modern electric motors and batteries to power a next-generation eVTOL platform that prioritizes simplicity, safety, and efficiency.
Designed for real-world performance, the hybrid-electric Cavorite X7 is expected to reach cruising speeds of up to 250 mph and cover over 500 miles with fuel reserves, positioning it as a potential game-changer in the rapidly growing Regional Air Mobility (RAM) market.
“From the beginning, we have focused on innovations that make the most operational sense with the best available technology. We are looking forward to proving this next on our full-scale, piloted technical demonstrator that is currently under construction,” said Brandon Robinson, CEO and co-founder of Horizon Aircraft, in a press release.
Aiming for all-weather certification with IFR and VFR capability
Blending science fiction with engineering, the Cavorite X7—named after the imaginary anti-gravity material in H.G. Wells’ The First Men in the Moon—is built to carry six passengers and a pilot. With a maximum gross weight of 5,500 lbs, it can transport up to 1,500 lbs of cargo for vertical takeoffs, or 1,800 lbs when using a traditional runway.
Unlike most eVTOLs, the X7 is designed to function as a true hybrid aircraft and will be certified for both instrument (IFR) and visual (VFR) flight rules, allowing it to operate safely in all weather conditions. If certified, it would be the first aircraft of its kind to achieve such a rating.
According to Brian Robinson, chief engineer and co-founder of Horizon Aircraft, the latest milestone confirms the strength and effectiveness of their unique approach to managing the transition phase of flight.
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“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,” Robinson noted.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bojan Stojkovski Bojan Stojkovski is a freelance journalist based in Skopje, North Macedonia, covering foreign policy and technology for more than a decade. His work has appeared in Foreign Policy, ZDNet, and Nature.
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