Horizon Aircraft

Canada-based Horizon Aircraft is a developer of hybrid-electric VTOL aerial vehicles. The company’s flagship product, Cavorite X5, is intended for air taxi services, cargo deliveries, disaster relief, and emergency medical services. Although Horizon was acquired by Astro Aerospace in June 2021 in an equity-based deal that was expected to result in a Nasdaq listing, the company returned to an independent path in August 2022. The separation from Astro Aerospace was achieved through a stock buyback.

The Cavorite X5 is a five-passenger aircraft featuring a patented fan-in-wing design, which enables highly efficient operational flight. It is a hybrid aircraft, utilizing an electric propulsion system powered by a combination of lithium batteries and a turbogenerator, allowing a range of approximately 310 miles (~500 km) at a speed of around 450 kmph. The Cavorite X5 eVTOL prototype incorporates over 780 custom 3D-printed parts. As of May 2023, Horizon was actively working toward achieving type certification and commencing initial deliveries in 2026.

In September 2024, the company reported that its prototype eVTOL had commenced full transition speed tests, which it expected to achieve by the end of 2024. Horizon also reported that it developed full-scale propulsion units for its HOVR Wing technology and its new Cavorite X7 would have a speed of ~250 mph and an average range of ~500 miles.