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Heart Aerospace's X1 demonstrator makes its first flight, a 27-minute sortie at Plattsburgh
Heart Aerospace's X1 demonstrator flew for 27 minutes at Plattsburgh International Airport, New York, on 12 August 2026, climbing to 1,100 feet on battery power alone with more than a megawatt flowing to its motors. With a 106-foot wingspan and a takeoff weight above 25,000 lb, it is the largest battery-electric aircraft yet flown.
- The X1 is a full-scale demonstrator for Heart's regional airliner, not a passenger aircraft.
- Heart said the flight used about $5 of electricity.
- The production airliner is planned as a hybrid, with turbogenerators extending range beyond what batteries alone allow.
- Heart targets FAA Part 25 airliner certification and service entry in 2031, with operating costs over 40% below today's regional aircraft.