Heart Aerospace receives FAA approval for X1 hybrid‑electric test flights in US
Swedish startup Heart Aerospace has been issued a Special Airworthiness Certificate in the Experimental Category by the United States Federal Aviation Administration. The permit, granted on 23 July 2026, allows the company to commence flight‑test operations of its X1 hybrid‑electric demonstrator at Plattsburgh International Airport in upstate New York.
The X1 aircraft features a 32.3‑metre wingspan, 23.2‑metre length and a take‑off weight of about 11 340 kg, making it the largest electric aircraft expected to fly. Initial flights will be fully electric, climbing to roughly 2 000 ft at 110 kt. Data gathered will support development of the ES‑30, a 30‑seat hybrid‑electric regional airliner that Heart aims to certify by 2031.
Heart Aerospace, founded in Gothenburg, Sweden, has relocated its R&D centre to the United States and completed an extensive ground‑test programme—including structural, propulsion, system and taxi tests—prior to the FAA’s inspection and approval.