Horizon Aircraft Ltd. (NASDAQ: HOVR) announced an agreement with MHI RJ Aviation Group, a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., to support development of its hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft, the Cavorite X7.

Under the collaboration, MHIRJ will provide engineering services focused on design and development of flight test instrumentation for the Cavorite X7. The company will also offer engineering support utilizing its regional aviation expertise to advance the aircraft program.

The flight test instrumentation work aims to enable data collection from the aircraft's flight test program, which is expected to begin in early 2027, according to the company's press release.

"MHIRJ represents an elite engineering group within the global aerospace community with a proven track record in regional aircraft development," stated Brandon Robinson, Horizon Aircraft co-founder and CEO. "This partnership strengthens the Cavorite X7 program and helps significantly reduce the technical risk associated with advancing our aircraft toward flight testing and eventual certification."

MHIRJ was founded in 2020 following Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' acquisition of the CRJ Series program. The organization provides operational, engineering and customer support solutions for the regional aircraft industry and is headquartered in the Montreal area, Canada.

Elio Ruggi, Senior Vice-President and Chief Engineer at MHIRJ, said the collaboration allows the company to use its engineering capabilities to support the hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft development while contributing to sustainable technology in regional aviation.

Horizon Aircraft, founded as an aerospace engineering company, is developing what it describes as a hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft designed to fly most of its mission in traditional wing-borne flight. The company intends to scale production following successful testing and certification of its aircraft for regional operators, emergency service providers, and military customers.