Hybrid-electric aircraft manufacturer Heart Aerospace has unveiled its first full-scale demonstrator airplane, representing a significant milestone in the development of the company’s ES-30 hybrid-electric regional aircraft. The demonstrator, which has been dubbed Heart Experimental 1 (Heart X1), was built almost entirely at Heart’s facilities in Gothenburg, Sweden.
With a 32-meter wingspan, Heart X1 will serve as a platform for testing and development of the ES-30. Initially, Heart X1 will be utilized for ground-based testing, focusing on charging operations, taxiing, and turnaround procedures. It is scheduled to make a fully electric first flight in the second quarter of 2025.
Development of Heart X1 has been funded in part by grants provided by Vinnova, the Swedish government’s innovation agency.
The next phase in the ES-30 development effort will be the manufacture of a pre-production prototype, which will be called Heart X2. The prototype is to further mature design and production methods based on lessons learned from Heart X1.
Heart X2 is scheduled for a hybrid-electric flight in 2026. and will demonstrate Heart’s Independent Hybrid propulsion system. In August 2024, Heart was awarded a $4.1 million grant by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s Fueling Aviation’s Sustainable Transition (FAST) program to develop a management system for the hybrid propulsion system.
The ES-30 is a hybrid-electric airplane with a standard seating capacity for 30 passengers. It features an electric zero-emission range of 200 kilometers, and an extended hybrid range of 400 kilometers. Heart intends to achieve type certification of the ES-30 by the end of the decade.
Raymond Jaworowski currently co-authors three of Forecast International's best-selling products: Civil Aircraft Forecast, Military Aircraft Forecast, and Rotorcraft Forecast. As a contributor to Aviation Week & Space Technology's Aerospace Source Book, he has authored Aircraft Outlooks, and provided input for the publication's Aircraft Specifications tables. Raymond has represented Forecast International at numerous conferences and trade shows, often as a featured speaker. He is a member of the American Helicopter Society.
