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New technology can allow aircraft to perform a vertical takeoff and landing, rather than using a runway.
Horizon Aircraft’s new electrical vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, or eVTOL, is raising the bar for aircraft innovation.
Horizon Aircraft’s eVTOL, the Cavorite X7, recently performed its first transition flight. This means that it completed a fully vertical takeoff before transitioning to a normal forward flight and then safely landed through a vertical descent.
You can see a demonstration of the process in the video above.
The vertical takeoff and landing are accomplished through an innovative design of fans in the wings that are covered when the aircraft is propelled forward and redeployed when it is time to land.
“In our aircraft, the transition phase was designed from the beginning to be a non-event,” Chief Engineer and Co-Founder Brian Robinson said in a press release. “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.”
According to Interesting Engineering, Horizon Aircraft is the first to accomplish this feat.
The aircraft can travel 500 miles, carrying six passengers along with one pilot.
