In a significant step for advanced air mobility, Horizon Aircraft and ZeroAvia have announced a collaborative partnership to explore the development of regional hydrogen-electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The alliance will focus on integrating ZeroAvia’s ZA600 hydrogen-electric powertrain into Horizon’s innovative Cavorite X7 eVTOL vehicle.
This collaboration aims to unlock a zero-emission pathway for short-haul air travel, combining Horizon’s unique airframe design with ZeroAvia’s leading hydrogen propulsion technology. The Cavorite X7 features a distinctive fan-in-wing design, which utilizes 14 lift fans for vertical thrust. Sliding panels then conceal these fans during forward, wing-borne flight, allowing the aircraft to operate with the efficiency and speed of a conventional plane. This enables versatile operations, using runways for conventional takeoffs and landings, or transitioning to hover for touchdowns in confined spaces as small as a tennis court.
Horizon Aircraft has already demonstrated the viability of its design through successful untethered flight tests of a large-scale prototype, including crucial transitions from hover to forward flight. The company has garnered support from the U.S. Department of Defense and secured necessary flight testing approvals in Canada.
Val Miftakhov, Founder and CEO of ZeroAvia, commented on the partnership, stating, “More eVTOL companies are recognizing hydrogen-electric propulsion as the key to extending the range and durability of electric flight. Horizon has developed an exciting application and is taking a leadership step by exploring hydrogen for the Cavorite X7.”
Beyond the technical integration, the partnership will also accelerate research into the necessary infrastructure and certification frameworks required to bring hydrogen-electric VTOL travel to market.
Brandon Robinson, CEO and Co-founder of Horizon Aircraft, emphasized the customer-focused rationale, saying, “We are impressed with ZeroAvia’s flight demonstrations and regulatory progress. We are thankful for this opportunity to explore hydrogen solutions that could deliver clean, fast, and highly-efficient travel for the regional air mobility market.”
This strategic move positions Horizon Aircraft at the forefront of practical and sustainable aviation technology, building crucial industry partnerships as it advances toward commercial certification.
