The Cavorite X5 is an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) taxi model featuring a canopy that can detach to reveal lift fans or close for high-speed cruising.
Half-scale prototype of the Cavorite X5.
Thanks to its low-drag design and canopy-covered lift fans, the Cavorite X5 flying taxi from Horizon Aircraft in Ontario can carry 4 passengers and a pilot at speeds of up to 450 km/h, making it one of the fastest flying taxi designs in the world. Its hybrid gas-electric propulsion system ensures a range of up to 500 km, as reported by New Atlas on January 9.
The Cavorite X5 features 10 relatively small lift fans, allowing them to spin quickly and consume significant energy while hovering. The vehicle performs well in cruise mode, similar to electric hybrid aircraft. This flying taxi is more likely to be used for longer-distance flights rather than short city hops.
Last July, Brandon Robinson, the founder of Horizon, indicated that the company planned to conduct tethered hover tests by the end of August this year, followed by all phases of flight, including transition and cruise, by December. However, the company has now announced the completion of tethered hover flight tests. The Cavorite X5 will soon begin testing the complex aerodynamic transition process between hover mode and cruise flight in the ACE Climactic wind tunnel near Toronto, Canada.
“This aircraft model has exceeded expectations in initial hover flight tests,” Robinson shared. “The vehicle is extremely stable and can hover with just 65% of its power. This prototype is a large aircraft with a wingspan of 6.7 meters and a length of over 4.6 meters, capable of exceeding speeds of 282 km/h. It will continue to provide valuable data to improve the design.”
While continuing testing, Horizon needs to raise significant funds to fabricate the full-scale version of the machine and obtain a license from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States. Robinson is considering producing a single-seat version as a test aircraft or developing the vehicle for military use while awaiting licensing.
