Heart Aerospace has completed the first flight of its X1 demonstrator, which the company says is the largest battery-electric aircraft yet to fly.
The flight took place on August 12, at Plattsburgh International Airport in New York, where Heart has established its X1 flight-test base.
The piloted aircraft flew for 27 minutes, reaching an altitude of 1,100ft above ground level, while its all-electric propulsion system delivered more than 1MW of power.
X1 has a wingspan of 106ft, measures 76ft from nose to tail and had a take-off weight of more than 25,000lb for the flight.
Conducted under an FAA Special Airworthiness Certificate in the Experimental Category, the test included taxi, take-off, climb, manoeuvring and landing. Heart said the mission was intended to demonstrate all-electric flight at a scale relevant to commercial airline operations.
Powered entirely by batteries, X1 used around US$5 worth of electricity during the flight, according to the company.
Heart is using the X1 programme to validate technologies for electric aviation as it works towards reducing aircraft operating costs and airlines’ exposure to fluctuations in jet fuel prices.
