The Horizon Aircraft eVTOL, officially known as ‘Cavorite X5’, is inching closer to production.
The company announced it has actually built the first prototype for the aircraft, and it is already working on the production version.
READ MORE: Top 10 coolest eVTOLs about to hit our skies
So how does the prototype work?
When the aircraft is in the air, the wings reveal 16 ducted fans that provide vertical lift.
Once the aircraft reaches its cruising altitude, the wings close again and the electric engines provide propulsion.
CHECK THIS OUT!
The prototype you see here is a 50 percent scale model with a wingspan of 22 feet and a weight of 225 kg.
The production version will be twice as large, with a wingspan of 44 feet, a weight of 500 kg and a length of 30 feet.
Speaking of the full-scale model, it’s currently being developed and should receive all relevant permits to hit the skies in 2025.
The X5 is the latest of a long list of eVTOLs that are ready to hit the market in the coming years.
The acronym stands for ‘Vertical Take-Off and Landing’ and there’s a lot of hype around this new generation of vehicles.
The idea is to combine the ‘simplicity’ of a drone with the functionality of a helicopter.
An eVTOL is lighter and easier to build than a chopper, and therefore less expensive as well.
In theory, these aircraft are designed to help solve the issue of urban mobility.
In the future, we could be using one to fly from A to B within the same city.
Same as using an Uber, just above the roads.
In fact, the most famous ride-hailing app in the world is actually developing its own eVTOL.
And automakers are doing the same, including big names like Suzuki and Hyundai.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HYUNDAI’S EVTOL HERE
