Sweden's Heart Aerospace is gearing up for its first flight early next year.
Heart Aerospace will be undertaking its first experimental flight of the X1 within a few months. It is an electric demonstrator aircraft that's the same size as its upcoming 30-seater commercial plane, called the ES-30.
"The initial experimental flight of the Heart X1 demonstrator is designed to validate the capabilities of Heart’s innovative electric propulsion technology," the company says. It'll be a major milestone for the Gothenburg-based firm, which was founded in 2019. The test flight will take off from Plattsburgh International Airport in upstate New York.
Previously, Heart announced that the ES-30's zero-emissions range would be 124 miles (200 km), and that the plane can extend its range by incorporating a hybrid system to enable a total range of nearly 250 miles (400 km).
Unsurprisingly, with that relatively short range and its limited seating capacity, Heart isn't looking to replace major airliners. Instead, the focus is on connecting smaller 'pocket airports' with roughly 2 acres of space in underserved communities. The ES-30 commercial aircraft is designed to take off from runways as short as 1,100 m (3,609 ft), thanks to its high-torque electric motors and turbo propellers.
If all goes according to plan, Heart hopes to have its aircraft flying commercially in 2028.