Heart Aerospace’s X1 demonstrator has completed a 27-minute test flight in New York, becoming the largest battery-electric aircraft ever flown.
With a wingspan of 32 metres, comparable to a small commercial aircraft, the maiden flight used only $5 worth of electricity, according to Heart Aerospace.
Founded in 2019, the Swedish start-up, which is now headquartered in Los Angeles, is aiming to “decarbonise and democratise air travel” for short-haul, regional flights.
During the test flight, which took place at Plattsburgh International Airport in upstate New York, the X1 reached an altitude of 335 metres above ground level with its electric powertrain delivering over one megawatt of power.
“With the first flight of X1, Heart Aerospace has demonstrated electric flight at the scale of a commercial airliner,” said Anders Forslund, CEO of Heart Aerospace.
The flight was conducted under a US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Special Airworthiness Certificate for experimental aircraft, with...