Archer

California-based Archer Aviation Inc focuses on designing and developing electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft with the goal of making air travel more accessible, sustainable, and efficient. Archer leverages its proprietary data modeling technology, Prime Radiant, to determine optimal trip locations, cost, and customer experience, enabling the company to build aerial rideshare technology that will transform how people move in and around cities. Archer is committed to sustainability, and, as of May 2023, was working to create an aircraft that is not only electric but also has a carbon-neutral manufacturing process.

Archer intends to operate two complementary lines of business. Its core focus is “Archer UAM,” a direct-to-consumer service, where the company will operate its own UAM ecosystem in major US cities, such as Los Angeles and Miami. Its secondary focus is “Archer Direct,” which is a business-to-business model, where the company will sell a certain amount of its eVTOL aircraft to third parties.

In November 2022 , Archer unveiled its production aircraft, Midnight, which represents the evolution of the company's demonstrator eVTOL aircraft, the Maker. The Maker has validated Archer's proprietary twelve-tilt-six configuration and key enabling technologies. The Midnight is optimized for back-to-back short-distance trips of around 20 miles, with a charging time of approximately 10 minutes in between. The aircraft can carry four passengers and a pilot. As of March 2023, Archer was targeting to begin flight testing of this aircraft in mid-2023 and was working on certifying the Midnight with the FAA by late 2024. The company had plans to incorporate the aircraft into its UAM network, which was slated for launch in 2025, once certified. The company claims that the Midnight is almost 1,000x quieter than a helicopter and has no single critical point of failure, meaning that it can safely complete its flight even if any single component fails.

In June 2024, Archer received the FAA’s Part 135 Air Carrier & Operator certification, which would allow it to commence operating aircraft commercially. In the same month it also completed its first transition flight of its unmanned Midnight prototype, traveling at over 100mph. In September 2024, Archer announced that it has completed 402 flight tests, four months ahead of its 2024 schedule and that it is ready to begin the “for-credit” certification testing with the FAA in 2024.

In July 2024, Archer received authorization from the California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority (CAEATFA) for its planned expansion facilities in California. During  the same month, the company reported that its new ~400,000 sq ft manufacturing facility in Georgia, with an annual production capacity of ~650 Midnight aircraft, will be finished in 2024 as planned, with financial support from Stellantis.

In August 2024, Archer revealed its plans for potential vertiport locations in Los Angeles by 2026, which were Orange County, Santa Monica, Hollywood Burbank, Long Beach, Van Nuys, and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The company also announced that it plans to offer passenger flights at the 2027 NFL Super Bowl and the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Key customers and partnerships

In May 2024 , Archer partnered with InterGlobe Enterprises, an India-based aviation, hospitality, and travel services company, to launch flying taxi services in India. With this partnership, InterGlobe has entered a USD 1 billion deal to purchase up to 200 Archer's Midnight eVTOLs and expects to launch between different Indian cities, starting in 2026. Archer entered a Purchase Agreement with United Airlines Inc. in February 2021 for the conditional purchase of up to USD 1 billion worth of aircraft, with an option for an additional USD 500 million worth of aircraft (an order for up to 200 of its aircraft, with an option to purchase an additional 100 aircraft), for which a USD 10 million pre-delivery payment was done in August 2022 . In April 2022 , the two companies announced the creation of a joint eVTOL advisory committee to support Archer’s future aircraft operations and later in 2022 announced their first airport-to-city center route between United’s hub at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and New York City.

Archer has entered a strategic relationship with REEF , the largest mobility hub operator in North America, to provide access to thousands of sites in densely populated urban areas that may be suitable for Archer's vertiports. Archer is leveraging Prime Radiant and partnering with REEF's extensive real estate portfolio to source optimal locations for vertical takeoff and landing pads in high-traffic and high-congestion areas of cities across the US. Archer has also entered partnerships and agreements with companies such as Stellantis , FACC , Honeywell , and Hexcel to support its manufacturing process.  In January 2024, the company signed a Space Act agreement with NASA to study and test high-performance battery cells for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) to support Archer's electric air taxi, Midnight.

In May 2024, Archer partnered with InterGlobe Enterprises, to launch flying taxi services in India. With this partnership, InterGlobe has entered a USD 1 billion deal to purchase up to 200 Archer's Midnight eVTOLs and expects to launch between different Indian cities, starting in 2026. 

In June 2024, Archer partnered with Signature Aviation, enabling Archer access to takeoff and landing sites in urban areas across the US. Archer also partnered with Kilroy Realty Corporation to set up a main hub in Oyster Point by the San Francisco International Airport (SFO).

In July 2024, the company partnered with Southwest Airlines to co-develop a concept of operations for eVTOL networks in California, and to integrate Archer's Midnight aircraft in routes connecting Californian airports with its communities. In August 2024, Archer partnered with Future Flight Global to launch eVTOL services globally and for a ~USD 580 million purchase order of up to 116 of the Midnight aircraft. It also partnered with the US Air Force in August 2024 for an Afwerx Agility Prime contract of up to six Midnight aircraft valued at ~USD 142 million.  In November 2024, Archer Aviation partnered with Soracle to launch eVTOL services in Japan.