Horizon Aircraft makes breakthrough eVTOL flight
May 15, 2025
Marking a milestone for the future of regional air mobility (RAM), Horizon Aircraft’s Cavorite X7 has become one of the first aircraft in the world to achieve a stable transition to forward flight using a fan-in-wing design, according to the Canadian manufacturer.
Designed to carry up to six passengers and one pilot with up to 1,500 pounds of useful load, Horizon Aircraft’s hybrid eVTOL, the Cavorite X7, features a unique fan-in-wing design combining the agility of a helicopter with the speed of a conventional aircraft. Within the transforming wings are 14 powerful lift fans that provide the required thrust for vertical take-off. Once it is as a safe altitude and speed, sliding panels hide the fans, and the X7 flies like a fixed-wing aircraft. To land, it can use a normal runway, or the fans can be deployed to touchdown on a helipad.
Full wing transition
The successful completion of full wing transition sees Horizon join a “small group of companies worldwide that have achieved this,” said Brandon Robinson, CEO and co-founder of Horizon Aircraft.
“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.”
His sentiment was echoed by co-founder and chief engineer, Brian Robinson, who reiterated that 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 stable and safe transition, he added is an area in which many of Horizon’s “competitors have faced serious challenges.”
The patented HOVR fan-in-wing technology is based on proven technology that leverages the advantages of modern electric motors and batteries to create a next-generation eVTOL system that enables a simpler, safer, and more efficient way to fly.
Competitive lift
With the Cavorite X7’s projected speeds of up to 250mph and an operational range exceeding 500 miles including fuel reserves, it surpasses its fully electric competitors and positions it as a game-changer in the rapidly growing Regional Air Mobility (RAM) sector. In comparison, Joby Aviation’s S4 has a top speed of 200mph and a range of 150 miles, while Archer Aviation’s Midnight has a top speed of 150 mph and a range of 100 miles and Vertical Aerospace’s VX4 has a top speed of around 200mph and a range exceeding 100 miles.
