Its eVTOL aircraft is designed to allow airline operators to transport people in and around cities in an air taxi service and are claimed to have a range of up to 100 miles (160 km) at speeds of up to 150 miles per hour (240 km/h).[4][5][6][7][8]United Airlines is its first major corporate partner, having ordered two hundred Archer electric aircraft.[9][10][11]
Aircraft and air taxi service
Maker, Archer's first demonstrator aircraft, was unveiled on June 10, 2021, at an event in Los Angeles, California. Maker is a two-passenger fully electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft with 12 electric propellers:[12] six tilt-props (each with five blades) for forward and VTOL flight and six stationary propellers (each propeller with two blades) for VTOL-only flight. Maker is designed to travel at up to 150 miles per hour (240 km/h) over 60 miles (97 km). The aircraft is powered by six independent battery packs.[10][13][14][15][16][17] In November 2021, Archer moved Maker from its headquarters to its flight test facility to start initial test flights.[18] Maker also received its airworthiness certificate from the FAA in December 2021.[19] Archer also completed its first flight in December 2021.[20][21][22]
In August 2022, United Airlines paid Archer a $10 million deposit for 100 electric flying taxis.[33] On November 10, 2022, Archer and United Airlines announced plans for the first electric air taxi route in the US, with an initial route between Newark Liberty International Airport and the Downtown Manhattan Heliport. On November 17, 2022, Archer unveiled details of its production vehicle dubbed "Midnight".[34] The aircraft is a piloted, four-passenger air taxi the company said will enter flight testing by the second quarter of 2023 and service by 2025. It is designed to carry passengers on short trips of around 20 miles (32 km) between airports and downtown city centers.[35]
In November 2022, Archer unveiled its Midnight production aircraft, an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft that can carry four passengers and a pilot. It is designed to be optimized for back-to-back 20-mile trips, with a payload of over 1,000 pounds. Midnight is the evolution of Archer's previous aircraft, Maker, and is expected to be certified by the FAA in late 2024.[36]
Archer announced its Maker prototype had achieved full transition from vertical to horizontal flight on November 29, 2022. This milestone was said to be an important validation step for the flight control systems and aircraft architecture that is also applicable to its Midnight production aircraft.[37]
In January 2023, Archer announced a partnership in which Stellantis, a multinational automobile manufacturer, would provide up to $150 million in equity capital to support Archer's growth and to collaborate on the development and production of Archer's eVTOL aircraft for urban air mobility. The purpose of the partnership solidifies Stellantis as Archer's exclusive contract manufacturer for mass production of its eVTOL aircraft.[38]
On June 5, 2024 Archer received its Part 135 Air Carrier and Operator Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This certification marks a significant milestone as Archer Aviation moves towards commercializing its eVTOL aircraft for urban air mobility.[40]
