A Queensland-based company, Hypersonix, is pushing the boundaries of aviation with the launch of a hyperspeed aircraft designed to travel at more than five times the speed of sound. If successful, the breakthrough technology could reduce the current 14-hour journey between Sydney and London to as little as 90 minutes — cutting travel times by more than 80 per cent.
The company’s co-founder, Dr Michael Smart, said the achievement is the result of more than three decades of research and development. Drawing on experience from his time at NASA Langley in Virginia and the University of Queensland, Dr Smart described the project as a “30-year overnight success.”
The initial phase of testing involves a 3.5-metre-long autonomous vehicle, with no passengers on board. While still in early development, Hypersonix CEO Matt Hill said the long-term goal is to transform commercial aviation by dramatically shortening international flight times.
The aircraft is designed to reach speeds of Mach 7 — seven times the speed of sound — far exceeding the retired Concorde, which flew at Mach 2. At those speeds, Mr Hill said overseas travel could take just two hours rather than half a day.
Despite the extreme velocity, Dr Smart explained that passengers would not feel significant physical effects once the aircraft reaches cruising altitude. After acceleration, the plane would travel at a constant speed, creating a smooth inflight experience. “Once we get up to Mach 7, it’ll be a pretty smooth flight,” he said, adding that passengers might simply need to “hold onto their coffee.”
Importantly, the aircraft is being designed to take off and land horizontally on conventional runways, much like existing commercial planes. This would allow for a familiar airport experience, even as the technology behind the journey represents a major leap forward in global travel.
If Hypersonix’s testing proves successful, hypersonic flight could mark the beginning of a new era in aviation — one where intercontinental travel takes hours instead of days.
