Photo: Heart Aerospace
One of the companies aiming for the Holy Grail of emissions-free long-range aviation is the Swedish Heart Aerospace. Its future aircraft, the ES-30, made waves in the industry worldwide and is now getting flight controls from one of the best in the business.
When it comes to electric aviation, most of the talk revolves around VTOLs (vertical take-off and landing), which are able to combine the benefits of vertical flight with cruising like conventional airplanes. The ES-30 is one of the very few fixed-wing aircraft designed from the start to operate with zero standard fuel.
It's still a work in progress, but with a very bold vision for the future. The earliest version, set to be ready for commercial service before the end of this decade, will ensure a 200 km (124 miles) range on pure battery-electric propulsion.
The ES-30 will fly at 20,000 feet (6,000 meters) carrying 30 passengers and only require 30 minutes to recharge. A hybrid-electric alternative will combine batteries with hybrid turbogenerators as a reserve, effectively doubling the targeted range.
As battery technology continues to evolve, the Swedish manufacturer plans to take its aircraft to new levels of performance. By the middle of the next decade, it should be able to ensure a 300 km (186 miles) range in electric mode and 500 km (310 miles) in hybrid mode. By the late 2030s, the ES-30's range would increase to 400 km (248 miles) when running on batteries and up to 600 km (372 miles) with reserve.
Heart’s aircraft will cut all emissions at airports and drastically lower the ones associated with flight operations. The Swedish manufacturer promises a 50% reduction per seat compared to much larger, 50-seat turboprops. Plus, by switching to SAF (sustainable aviation fuel) for hybrid-powered flights, emission levels could drop by 90%. Lower noise levels are another significant benefit for local communities.
Like most manufacturers of new-generation aircraft, Heart understands the importance of collaborating with established players in the industry. The latest one to join this project is Honeywell, one of the top names in aerospace technology globally. Honeywell will supply its next-generation fly-by-wire system, which is compact and adaptable enough to be integrated into a system like the ES-30.
This partnership is just one of the Swedish brand's milestones this year. A couple of months ago, Heart achieved something no one else had – a full-scale model of its electric 30-seater kicked off real-world testing at the Malmo Airport. It's not taking to the sky just yet, but these ground tests performed at an airport are a big step in that direction.
The ES-30 was also convincing enough to secure 250 orders with the option of adding 120 more units, and this is just the beginning.
It's still a work in progress, but with a very bold vision for the future. The earliest version, set to be ready for commercial service before the end of this decade, will ensure a 200 km (124 miles) range on pure battery-electric propulsion.
The ES-30 will fly at 20,000 feet (6,000 meters) carrying 30 passengers and only require 30 minutes to recharge. A hybrid-electric alternative will combine batteries with hybrid turbogenerators as a reserve, effectively doubling the targeted range.
As battery technology continues to evolve, the Swedish manufacturer plans to take its aircraft to new levels of performance. By the middle of the next decade, it should be able to ensure a 300 km (186 miles) range in electric mode and 500 km (310 miles) in hybrid mode. By the late 2030s, the ES-30's range would increase to 400 km (248 miles) when running on batteries and up to 600 km (372 miles) with reserve.
Heart’s aircraft will cut all emissions at airports and drastically lower the ones associated with flight operations. The Swedish manufacturer promises a 50% reduction per seat compared to much larger, 50-seat turboprops. Plus, by switching to SAF (sustainable aviation fuel) for hybrid-powered flights, emission levels could drop by 90%. Lower noise levels are another significant benefit for local communities.
Like most manufacturers of new-generation aircraft, Heart understands the importance of collaborating with established players in the industry. The latest one to join this project is Honeywell, one of the top names in aerospace technology globally. Honeywell will supply its next-generation fly-by-wire system, which is compact and adaptable enough to be integrated into a system like the ES-30.
This partnership is just one of the Swedish brand's milestones this year. A couple of months ago, Heart achieved something no one else had – a full-scale model of its electric 30-seater kicked off real-world testing at the Malmo Airport. It's not taking to the sky just yet, but these ground tests performed at an airport are a big step in that direction.
The ES-30 was also convincing enough to secure 250 orders with the option of adding 120 more units, and this is just the beginning.
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