Horizon Aircraft has announced several significant technical updates to its Cavorite X7 aircraft as the company moves forward with the development of its full-scale hybrid-electric VTOL platform.
The design refinements follow the successful transition flight of a large-scale prototype in May 2025, which validated the company’s patented fan-in-wing technology. Working in collaboration with international mobility designer Andrea Mocellin, Horizon’s engineering team has focused on optimizing the aircraft’s safety profile and aerodynamic performance.
A primary update involves the vertical lift system. The Cavorite X7 now features 12 standardized vertical lift fans, with five located in each wing and one in each canard. By replacing four smaller canard fans with two wing-sized units, the company has standardized all 12 fans across the aircraft. This change is intended to improve manufacturing efficiency and simplify long-term maintenance. Safety margins are maintained through a redundant, dual-motor architecture that powers each individual lift fan.
The aircraft’s exterior has also undergone aerodynamic profiling. The canard and tails have been reshaped to reduce drag, which the company expects will improve cruise efficiency and overall flight stability. Inside the aircraft, the cabin has been slightly extended and the windows redesigned to offer passengers more legroom and better sightlines.
Horizon Aircraft Co-Founder and CEO Brandon Robinson, said, “These technical updates are a result of our world-class engineering team’s ability to effectively enhance the performance of our aircraft. We remain committed to building one of the safest, toughest, and most performant modern VTOL aircraft, and these updates further advance that mission.”
As an advanced aerospace engineering company, Horizon Aircraft continues to develop the Cavorite X7 to be one of the world’s first hybrid-electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft intended for practical commercial use.
