Horizon’s Cavorite X7 and FIKI: De-Icing Tech Has Never Been This Cool!

Winter is close upon us for the Northern Hemisphere. Snow has already fallen and ice already taken hold in some of our northern areas. For those requiring a rugged eVTOL aircraft capable of flying in icy conditions, Horizon Aircraft’s “Can-Do Crew” 🇨🇦 is working on a solution!

Horizon Aircraft (NASDAQ: HOVR) is doubling down on one of the most stubborn challenges in vertical flight: operating safely and reliably in icing and low-visibility condition environments that routinely ground even the most capable rotorcraft. In a new program update, the company revealed that its Cavorite X7 hybrid eVTOL is being built to operate under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) and achieve Flight Into Known Icing (FIKI) certification, placing it in a category which as far as VTOL aircraft are concerned, is occupied by only a select few specialized helicopters. Such helicopters are also larger and much heavier than the Cavorite X7.

The Cavorite X7 is compact for a reason. Not just one, but two Cavorite X7’s can be transported inside a C-130 once their wings are folded! How cool is that!

Horizon’s approach would give the Cavorite X7 a major operational edge: all-weather dispatch reliability, faster point-to-point flight, longer range, and significantly lower operating costs, which is a combination not currently offered by any other eVTOL on the market.

“The Cavorite X7 is one of the only modern VTOL aircraft designed to fly in clouds. This significant differentiator will provide all-weather operations with improved performance for all real-world operations. Horizon is currently building our full-scale aircraft and has secured sufficient capital and scaled our engineering team by 50% this year to be ready for testing.” – Horizon Aircraft Co-Founder and CEO, Brandon Robinson

“As a seasoned commercial helicopter pilot, I have experienced firsthand how known icing conditions can force delays, cancellations, and operational setbacks. I joined Horizon Aircraft because the technology on the Cavorite X7 provides a real solution to these problems, and its enhanced performance will be able to serve more people and communities worldwide when they need it most.” – Horizon Aircraft Senior Technical Project Manager, Vincent Hoog

Horizon Aircraft

• Established in 2013
• Founded by Brian Robinson and Brandon Robinson
• CEO: Brandon Robinson
• Headquartered in Lindsay, Ontario, Canada
• Manufacturer of the Cavorite X7
  • Hybrid-electric
  • Unique Fan-in-Wing design
  • Range: 800 km (500 miles) plus AAR
  • Max cruise speed: 450 km/hr (280 mph)
  • 7 seater (1 pilot plus 6 passengers)
  • Max ferry range: 1,450 km (900 miles)
  • Max gross weight: 2,500 kg (5,000 lbs)

Solving a Problem Helicopters Have Struggled With For Decades

Helicopters are indispensable for missions like medevac, search and rescue, offshore oil rig support, and remote community logistics. But their exposed rotor blades and complex aerodynamics make them painfully vulnerable to icing. Ice accumulation causes instability, vibration, loss of lift, and in worst-case scenarios, may lead to even catastrophic failure.

That vulnerability leads to:

• Mission cancellations
• Delays in emergency response
• Routine inability to fly through cloud
• Reduced reliability for organizations like the Canadian Coast Guard, which depends on consistent all-weather operations

Compared to IFR capable models such as the Bell Boeing MV-22 Osprey, and Leonardo AW609, Horizon’s Cavorite X7 offers comparable speed and range at a fraction of the cost, and with increased reliability.

More Than an Air-Taxi, More Than an eVTOL

The Cavorite X7 is not just another air taxi (see video below):

NATO and Other Allied Military Clients

NATO members, including Canada (which holds a strategic portion of the Arctic Circle), are keenly looking at what Horizon Aircraft has to offer with their Cavorite X7.

“I’ve seen some really unique technologies here that I think have a solid position in the Defence market over time. It’s great to see Canadian innovation and industry putting forward leading-edge aerospace products. From remotely piloted aircraft to vertical lift capabilities, the applications for this technology in the Canadian Armed Forces are wide-ranging, from contested logistics to maritime operations and anti-submarine warfare. Potentially in anti-submarine warfare, if we come up with a new concept of how we do anti-submarine warfare, there’s work on that ongoing right now in a bunch of our defense allies and partners around the world. I think there’s room for this technology to to fit into that. And certainly in terms of remotely piloted aircraft systems, there is clearly an application here.” – Brigadier General Brendan Cook, Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Director General Space, Combat and Support

INSAT-Funded Project Accelerates All-Weather Tech Development

Horizon has launched a new collaborative all-weather vertical propulsion project, backed by a non-dilutive grant from Canada’s INSAT (Initiative for Sustainable Aviation Technology) program.

The team will test a suite of advanced icing-mitigation technologies on the Cavorite X7, including:

• Ice-phobic coatings
• Electrothermal anti-icing systems
• Enhanced ice detection sensors

Together, these systems push the Cavorite X7 toward certification for IFR and FIKI operations, giving the hybrid electric eVTOL aircraft the ability to fly when most helicopters cannot.

INSAT program (The Initiative for Sustainable Aviation Technology)™

• Funds innovations in transportation, energy, information technology
• Focus on 4 pillars:
  • Hybrid and alternative propulsion
  • Aircraft architecture and systems integration
  • Transitions to alternative fuels
  • Aircraft support infrastructure and operations
• Initiative started in 2023 by STRIX, a non-profit committed to strengthening Canadian innovation and research collaboration in the aerospace industry

A Key Partner in Certification: Cert Canada

Another advantage for Horizon is its close collaboration with Cert Canada, an advanced aviation certification consultancy founded by industry veteran John Maris, a highly respected test pilot, engineer, and certification expert. Cert Canada brings deep experience in complex airworthiness pathways, including special conditions, hybrid-electric propulsion, and new-category flight operations. Their involvement adds significant credibility to Horizon’s push toward IFR and FIKI certification, helping ensure that the Cavorite X7’s all-weather capabilities aren’t just engineering achievements, they’re certifiable, regulatory-ready, and aligned with the rigorous standards needed for real-world deployment. Dr. John Maris is also a Board Member and Senior Adviser at Horizon Aircraft. By bringing such a distinguished expert, who recently was recognized with the Kelly Johnson Award in 2025 for outstanding Test Pilot Engineering, Horizon is showing its dedication to developing the ultimate eVTOL product, which stays true to its core values of safety, performance, and reliability, including in adverse weather conditions.

Cert Center Canada

• Founded in 2016
• Headquartered in Montreal, Canada
• CEO and founder: Dr. John Maris
• Independent center assisting clients with:
  • Training
  • R&D
  • Prototype Evaluation
  • IP Licensing
  • Systems Development
  • Flight testing
  • Certification
  • Research simulator
  • Synthesis Tools
  • Development and certification

Dr. John Maris, PhD.

• Founder of Cert Center Canada
• Board Member and Senior Adviser at Horizon Aircraft
• Chief Test Pilot at Pratt & Whitney Canada’s RTX Hybrid-Electric Flight Demonstrator project
• Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame member
• 6,300 pilot hours
• Kelly Johnson Award in 2025 for outstanding Test Pilot Engineering
  • Issued by Society of Flight Test Engineers

Why Horizon’s Work Towards FIKI Certification Is So Cool! ❄️

Horizon Aircraft is pursuing one of the most valuable and difficult differentiators in vertical flight: reliable performance in icing and poor visibility. With hybrid power, IFR capability, and a path towards FIKI certification, the Cavorite X7 aims to become one of the few vertical aircraft capable of delivering consistent service in real-world, all-weather conditions.

For an eVTOL sector where many competitors are currently restricted to mild, fair-weather ops, Horizon is clearly charting a different course, and one that will open markets far beyond urban mobility. Dual-use Regional Air Mobility, especially in parts of the world where visibility is restricted and ice are a part of life, will be no doubt be Horizon’s bread and butter once their Cavorite X7 hybrid electric eVTOLs hit the production line.

✈️ Stay tuned to eVTOL buzz for test flight updates, tech deep dives, and exclusive interviews as this story evolves.

More Info:

Press Release: click here

Horizon Aircraft (official website): click here

Why You Should Be Very Excited by Horizon Aircraft’s Selection of Pratt & Whitney Canada’s PT6A: click here

Canadian Coast Guard helicopter service: click here

INSAT – THE INITIATIVE FOR SUSTAINABLE AVIATION TECHNOLOGY™: click here

Horizon Aircraft Awarded INSAT Grant to Help Fund $10.5 Million All-Weather eVTOL Project: click here

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