Swedish aviation company Heart Aerospace is set to conduct the first fully electric experimental flight of its Heart X1 demonstrator aircraft at Plattsburgh International Airport in New York next year.
The first experimental flight of Heart X1 marks a critical milestone in the development of the 30-seat hybrid-electric regional passenger aircraft, the ES-30, which is set to become the largest fully electric aircraft ever to fly.
“The Heart X1 is scheduled to complete a fully electric flight next year, designed to validate the capabilities of the innovative electric propulsion technology,” Heart Aerospace’s Head of Communications Christina Zander told Zag Daily.
The system, which will power the ES-30, combines electric engines and turboprops that operate independently to ensure redundancy and flexibility.
“The development of new technologies requires a step-by-step process to mature and define these technologies and their interfaces,” said Zander. “Heart X1 will be used to mature the independent hybrid-electric propulsion system, targeting fully electric flight.”
The Heart X1 will be followed by a second prototype aircraft, Heart X2, which aims to further develop the propulsion system of the ES-30.
With plans to establish a pilot plant to accelerate prototyping, Heart Aerospace aims to achieve type certification for the ES-30 by the end of the decade.
Plattsburgh International Airport in New York’s Champlain Valley was selected as the test site for the experimental flight. The location, Zander explained, boasts expansive infrastructure, low air traffic density, and a strong local commitment to advancing next-generation aerospace technologies.
