Archer’s flagship design, Midnight, is built for a pilot to fly as many as four passengers on 20 to 50 sm (17 to 43 nm) routes, cruising at 130 knots and charging for just a few minutes between trips. The manufacturer’s goal is to compete against ground-based ridehailing services such as Uber or Lyft with a comparably priced offering.

In the Bay Area, the company will work with real estate giant Kilroy Realty Corp. The partners signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to make the 50-acre Kilroy Oyster Point waterfront campus in South San Francisco the anchor of Archer’s planned network.

Archer and Kilroy will look to build a vertiport at Oyster Point, connecting it with routes to Napa, San Jose, Oakland, and Livermore.

“We’re thrilled to collaborate with Kilroy on developing infrastructure to support Archer’s air mobility service and laying the foundation for a robust network of landing sites throughout the Bay Area,” said Bryan Bernhard, chief growth and infrastructure officer for Archer.

The manufacturer says it already has relationships with infrastructure and operations providers in those cities. One of its two main FBO partners, Atlantic Aviation, has hubs in Napa and San Jose. The other, Signature Aviation—which earlier this week agreed to install Archer electric aircraft chargers at 200 of its locations—also has a site in San Jose and another in Oakland.

Interestingly, Livermore Municipal Airport (KLVK), that city’s sole airfield, has no scheduled airline service and is designated as a regional reliever airport. Five Rivers Aviation, which operates a full-service FBO at the airport, appears to be Archer’s partner there.

San Francisco International Airport (KSFO), meanwhile, is a hub for Archer partner and investor United Airlines. The companies plan to launch routes in Chicago and New York City, also hub airports, by 2025.

In addition to constructing a vertiport at Oyster Point, Archer and Kilroy intend to create what Archer dubs “Sea Portal”—a renewable energy-powered development that offers both eVTOL and electric ferry services for all companies at the waterfront hub. According to the manufacturer, the facility could come online by the end of next year. Looking ahead, the partners will explore expansions to other Kilroy sites.

“We believe that this innovative and sustainable service has the potential to provide exceptional convenience and optionality to current and future tenants at the project, further differentiating Kilroy Oyster Point within the South San Francisco market,” said Angela Aman, CEO of Kilroy.

Archer began building the first Midnight production prototypes, which it will use to complete type certification evaluations with the FAA, in February. The aircraft received its final airworthiness criteria from the FAA in May and completed its first transition from hover to forward flight the following month during a remotely piloted test.

In June, Archer became one of just two eVTOL manufacturers to earn FAA Part 135 air carrier permissions, the other being competitor Joby Aviation.

It expects to install electric charging stations at Atlantic FBO locations in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Miami by next year, followed by similar infrastructure at as many as 200 Signature FBOs. Newark Liberty International Airport (KEWR) in New Jersey, Chicago O’Hare (KORD) International Airport, and KSFO—the bases of operations for Archer’s New York, Chicago, and Bay Area services—are all part of Signature’s network.

The company also intends to add electric chargers to planned air taxi hubs in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, which is shaping up to be its initial overseas launch market.

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Archer on Wednesday announced its subsidiary, Archer Air, received an FAA Part 135 air carrier and operator certificate, authorizing it to operate as a commercial airline as Midnight advances toward type certification. The manufacturer anticipates it will achieve that milestone next year. In the meantime, it plans on using its Part 135 approval to fly conventional aircraft “to refine its systems and procedures in advance of launching Midnight into service for airlines like United Airlines,” which in 2021 agreed to purchase $1 billion worth of Archer aircraft.

“Over my career, I’ve helped lead the buildout of JetBlue and Breeze Airways, and now that Archer has its Part 135 and 145 certificates from the FAA, I’m thrilled for our incredible team to commence operations on this innovative new air taxi service soon,” said Tom Anderson, chief operating officer of Archer Air.

The Part 135 certification process comprised five stages, Archer said. The manufacturer was required to submit operational manuals and procedures to the FAA, and company pilots demonstrated compliance with those materials under agency observation.

“This milestone reflects our team’s unwavering dedication to safety and operational excellence as we stand up one of the world’s first electric air taxi services for communities across the U.S. with a safe, sustainable and low noise transportation solution,” said Adam Goldstein, founder and CEO of Archer.

Archer’s flagship Midnight is a zero-emission model designed for a pilot to fly as many as four passengers on 20 to 50 sm (17 to 43 nm) air taxi routes, cruising at up to 150 mph (130 knots). The air taxi is intended to be cost competitive with ground-based rideshare services such as Uber or Lyft, replacing lengthy commutes with 10-to-20-minute flights, while producing significantly less noise than a helicopter.

Archer is one of just two eVTOL air taxi manufacturers to receive Part 135 permissions from the FAA, the other being competitor Joby Aviation. Joby, which unlike Archer intends to operate its own aircraft in the U.S., obtained its authorization in 2022.

Archer will have a hand to play in United’s operation of Midnight, though.

The company is developing a proprietary operations software platform, mobile booking platform, and technology that will integrate with vertiports, all of which will be essential to a commercial service. Now, it can begin to refine those platforms using conventional aircraft.

With Wednesday’s announcement, Archer now holds Part 135 and Part 145 certification, the latter of which authorizes it to perform select maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services. But Midnight won’t be able to fly commercially until it achieves type certification, which would validate the aircraft’s design, and production certification, which will allow Archer to begin producing the type-certified model.

The manufacturer has already begun building three type-conforming Midnight air taxis to be used in crewed flight testing later this year. For-credit evaluations with the FAA will follow and represent one of the most critical steps in the type certification process.

The agency in May awarded Archer final airworthiness criteria for Midnight, which laid out the standards it will use to gauge the aircraft’s ability to integrate safely into the national airspace. Competitor Joby is the only other eVTOL manufacturer to reach that step with the regulator, obtaining its own criteria one month prior.

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The United Airlines partner and Kakao Mobility Corp.—a subsidiary of South Korean conglomerate Kakao which runs Kakao T, a popular taxi-hailing service akin to Uber in the U.S.—signed an agreement that covers the latter’s planned purchase and operation of up to 50 aircraft as early as 2026, beginning in Seoul.

The manufacturer estimates the value of the potential sale, including predelivery payments it expects to receive next year, at about $250 million. Kakao Mobility last year signed a similar agreement with U.K. eVTOL manufacturer Vertical Aerospace.

The taxi-hailing company has also tapped Archer as its eVTOL partner for Korea’s K-UAM Grand Challenge: a multicity, public-private effort to demonstrate eVTOL operations, with an eye toward commercializing those services by 2025. Kakao Mobility will pay Archer a first installment of $7 million this year, followed by a second installment in January, to support the effort. The partners expect to complete a public demonstration later this year.

“We are committed to revolutionizing transportation with Archer’s eVTOL aircraft, ushering in a future of cleaner, faster, and more efficient travel between and within Korean cities,” said Nikhil Goel, chief commercial officer for Archer.

According to Korea’s transport ministry, commuters in the Seoul Capital Area—which, with a population of a quarter of a million people, is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world and home to half the country’s population—typically spend about 90 minutes per day stuck in traffic.

Archer promises to replace those commutes with estimated 10- to 20-minute air taxi flights, charging for just a few minutes in between. The manufacturer’s five-seat eVTOL is designed for four passengers and a pilot, with a range of about 52 sm (45 nm) and cruise speed of 130 knots.

It claims the aircraft will be cost-competitive with ground-based rideshare services such as Uber, Lyft, and Kakao T, which according to Kakao Mobility has more than 30 million registered users, many of them Seoul.

“The vision is clear—reduce the hours lost in traffic and elevate everyday travel with an electric air taxi service that features Archer’s Midnight aircraft,” said Christopher SungWook Chang, senior vice president of Kakao Mobility.

However, the partners—and the South Korean government—have ambitions to introduce air taxi flights nationwide.

The country’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport in 2021 unveiled the K-UAM Operation Concept 1.0: a blueprint, similar to the FAA’s Innovate28, to commercialize urban air mobility (UAM) services by 2025. Initial flights would be piloted and take place on predefined routes in cities such as Seoul and Incheon, with nationwide introduction of fully autonomous air taxi flights by 2035.

Before then, the government is conducting the K-UAM Grand Challenge to validate the technology.

Kakao Mobility and a consortium that includes electric vehicle charging service LG Uplus, vertiport developer GS Engineering & Construction (GS E&C), and now Archer will be one of three consortiums to participate in public demonstrations under the effort, which seeks to garner public support for UAM services.

One group, which includes flag carrier Korean Air, Hyundai Motor Co., and Korea Telecom, completed the initiative’s first UAM operations demonstration in April. Archer and Kakao Mobility have set a target for their first public demonstration later this year.

Archer through the consortium will also work with regulators to create standards around eVTOL certification and operation. With the help of LG Uplus and GS E&C, the partners plan to construct vertiports, air traffic management systems, and other infrastructure to build a UAM ecosystem in Korea.

Archer competitor Joby Aviation is also part of the K-UAM Grand Challenge and expects to begin demonstration flights this year. The manufacturer in September partnered with SK Telecom—which is supporting it with $100 million in funding—to join a consortium that includes Korea Airports Corporation and Hanwha Systems.

Germany’s Volocopter was the first manufacturer to complete a crewed public eVTOL demonstration in the country in 2021, while California-based Overair last year signed several agreements with Korean partners, including a potential direct sale. Embraer eVTOL subsidiary Eve Air Mobility is also in the mix, having signed an agreement with UAM service provider Moviation for the purchase of its urban air traffic management system.

Beyond South Korea, Archer is looking to introduce Midnight in India, the United Arab Emirates, and U.S. cities such as New York and Chicago.

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The manufacturer on Wednesday announced it completed the installation of an “automotive style” battery pack manufacturing line within its integrated test lab and manufacturing facilities in San Jose, California.

The production line is intended to complement the company’s air taxi manufacturing facility in Covington, Georgia, where it expects to initially produce up to 650 aircraft per year. The site remains under construction but is “on track” to be completed later this year, Archer reaffirmed Wednesday.

“This is a major milestone for Archer as designing, developing, and mass producing electric propulsion systems that are purpose built for electric aircraft is the key to unlocking the electrification of aviation,” said Tom Muniz, chief technology officer of Archer. “The facility will give us the capability to scale our battery pack production to meet the demands of the output that our Covington, Georgia, facility will be capable of.”

Each of Archer’s Midnight aircraft will run on six of the company’s proprietary lithium-ion battery packs, which power a dozen electric engines. The cylindrical cells within each pack deliver a higher level of safety, performance, and scalability than other form factors, Archer says. The packs are also equipped with a proprietary thermal runaway containment capability.

Archer’s new battery pack manufacturing line is designed to operate at full capacity from day one and, according to the company, is capable of producing up to 15,000 battery packs per year.

Certain portions of the manufacturing process—including cell testing and loading, adhesive dispensing, laser cleaning, laser welding, and end-of-line testing—have been automated. The manufacturer says this is intended to improve product quality and operator safety while making it easier to trace data across the manufacturing cycle.

Unlike the manufacturing strategy for the Midnight air taxi, which leverages outside suppliers to provide the majority of the aircraft’s components, Archer chose to vertically integrate battery cell design and production, building and assembling those components in house.

The battery packs in March successfully endured a series of 50-foot drop tests, a feat they will need to accomplish again during for-credit testing with the FAA. Similar to the 50-foot fuel tank drop test for rotorcraft and fixed-wing aircraft, the evaluation is meant to gauge the batteries’ ability to withstand a significant impact, which could cause a leak, fire, or explosion if the tech is not up to standard. Archer considers it to be one of the most challenging tests in the type-certification process for Midnight.

The manufacturer is also evaluating its battery pack technology with NASA via a Space Act agreement with the agency. Initial testing will gauge battery cell safety, energy, and power performance, studying how they might function in “extreme abuse cases.” The battery pack testing arrangement is just one portion of the agreement, Archer says.

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The company on Thursday announced the opening of a new Washington, D.C., office and added two new members to its policy, government, and regulatory affairs leadership team. The office, near the FAA and Department of Transportation (DOT) headquarters, will include a display area where Archer will showcase Midnight, its flagship, four-passenger aircraft.

In addition, Billy Nolen, who stepped down as acting FAA administrator to join Archer as its chief safety officer in June, will transition into a role as chief regulatory affairs officer, where he will lead the company’s regulatory affairs team.

“This strategic move is part of our proactive approach to progressing through the regulatory process here in the U.S. as efficiently as possible so that we can help ensure our country continues to define the future of global aviation,” said Nolen. “Showcasing our leading eVTOL aircraft technologies to leaders in the nation’s capital will help bring to life our vision to transform cities by reducing traffic with safe, quiet electric air taxis.”

Archer’s eVTOL air taxi is designed for a pilot to fly as many as four passengers on 10- to 20-minute trips spanning 20 to 50 sm (17 to 43 nm), with as little as 10 to 12 minutes of charge time between them.

In February, the company began building the first of three Midnight aircraft it will use to perform for-credit testing with the FAA as it progresses toward type certification. It expects those evaluations to happen later this year.

Archer is working with U.S. regulators such as the FAA as well as United Airlines to launch service in several major U.S. cities, including New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, as early as next year. To support that effort, the company brought on two new hires: Melissa McCaffrey as head of state and local government affairs and Lynda Tran as an advisor.

McCaffrey, a licensed pilot of 20 years, is the former director of policy and government affairs at Overair, another California-based eVTOL air taxi manufacturer. McCaffrey spent a decade with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), where she managed government affairs policy and advocacy.

Tran was formerly the senior advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Transportation and director of public engagement at the DOT. She will support Archer’s regulatory affairs in an advisory role.

Additionally, Archer said it will continue to work with Invariant, the largest woman-owned lobbying group in Washington, D.C., and JTR Strategies, which focuses on transportation policy lobbying, as it seeks to expand its influence in the nation’s capital.

Archer, alongside competitor Joby Aviation, already had one of the tightest government relationships in the eVTOL industry by virtue of its FAA certification program and the appointment of Nolen. By bringing on McCaffrey and Tran, it appears the manufacturer is looking to shore up that connection even further.

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The company on Friday said it successfully completed a series of drop tests on Midnight’s battery packs, an evaluation it will need to complete again during for-credit testing with the FAA. A key step toward type certification for eVTOL designs, for-credit testing allows the regulator to gauge how well an aircraft conforms to its approved specifications.

Archer said it wrapped up the first phase of uncrewed Midnight flight testing in January and intends to begin piloted evaluations later this year. Following the completion of those tests, it will prepare for the FAA’s final exam.

The manufacturer considers the battery pack drop test significant, claiming it is regarded by the electric aviation industry as “one of the most difficult tests to pass for an eVTOL aircraft.”

Midnight’s six lithium-ion battery packs power a dozen electric engines. The aircraft’s tiltrotor configuration positions six propellers on each side of its fixed wings: During cruise, the front propellers tilt forward to provide thrust, while the back propellers lock in place.

The air taxi can carry a pilot and up to four passengers (or 1,000 pounds of cargo) as far as 100 sm (87 nm) at a cruise speed of 130 knots. It is optimized for back-to-back, 20-to-50 sm (17-to-43 nm) trips, with minimal charge time in between.

The drop test is designed to ensure Midnight’s battery packs could withstand a significant impact, similar to the 50-foot fuel tank drop test for rotorcraft and fixed-wing aircraft. Like fuel tanks, battery packs are flammable and could leak, catch fire, or even explode in the event of a crash.

The first 50-foot drop test for eVTOL aircraft batteries took place in 2022 at a National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) lab at Wichita State University in Kansas. It was sponsored by the FAA and conducted by NIAR and Beta Technologies, which is producing an eVTOL air taxi as well as a conventional takeoff and landing (eCTOL) variant. Recently, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) adopted the test as a formal part of its own certification for battery-powered aircraft.

To simulate “extreme impact scenarios,” Archer dropped packs from a height of 50 feet at 100 percent, 30 percent, and 0 percent charge at a NIAR lab. The company said the batteries showed no signs of failure, and they actually functioned properly after each drop.

The company attributed the test’s success to its choice of using cylindrical cells produced by Molicel in its proprietary design. U.K.-based eVTOL manufacturer Vertical Aerospace is also using cylindrical cells from Molicel on its VX4 model.

Archer believes it will be able to replicate the results of the drop test for the FAA when the time comes. In February, the company began production of three type-conforming Midnight models to be used in those for-credit evaluations.

“Successfully passing the battery pack drop tests marks a pivotal moment that paves the way for future ‘for-credit’ certification testing with the FAA,” said Alex Clarabut, battery lead for Archer. “This accomplishment highlights our dedication to not just meeting but exceeding safety standards. It is a critical step towards our goal of ensuring that Midnight will be among the safest aircraft in the skies.”

Archer also has a battery testing collaboration with NASA. The space agency will gauge the batteries’ safety, energy, and power performance using the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), one of the world’s most advanced high speed X-ray facilities. The partners aim to understand how battery cells function in “extreme abuse cases” in order to safely integrate them into advanced air mobility (AAM) services and, potentially, spaceflight.

Archer said the partnership’s focus on batteries will expand to other technologies under a Space Act Agreement calling for the development of “mission critical” eVTOL systems.

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The company on Monday expanded its partnership with Emirati aviation services provider Falcon Aviation to build a vertiport network for eVTOL air taxi operations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the two largest cities in the UAE. San Jose, California-based Archer expects the UAE to be its first international launch market.

Archer and Falcon initially agreed upon a deal that would see Falcon operate “scores” of Midnight aircraft across the UAE and expand the former’s urban air mobility (UAM) ecosystem. The collaboration includes the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), the city’s central government hub for investment.

Archer believes it is the first to announce an eVTOL air taxi route between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, which it said is “one of the world’s most prominent and congested commute corridors.” The manufacturer estimated flights will last 30 minutes: a fraction of the two hours it could take to drive between the cities during peak traffic.

“Partnering with established operators such as Falcon Aviation, as well as the capital of the Emirates with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office, has been key to quickly building our presence in the region,” said Archer founder and CEO Adam Goldstein. “We look forward to paving the way for the introduction of our Midnight aircraft to the region, which will set the stage for the UAE to become a global leader in urban air mobility.”

Preparing for (Vertical) Takeoff

Falcon last week upgraded its heliport terminal at Atlantis, The Palm, in Dubai, a hub for sightseeing trips above the city’s skyline. The terminal also provides helicopter charter flights between the hotel and Abu Dhabi, as well as other nearby cities. As early as next year, Falcon will operate Midnight out of that site and its Marina Mall heliport in Abu Dhabi.

The vertiports will connect the two cities with routes almost entirely over water, providing scenic views for passengers. At the same time, Archer claims Midnight will be quieter, safer, and more affordable than comparable helicopters.

“For nearly two decades, Falcon Aviation has been at the forefront of helicopter passenger transport in the UAE,” said Ramandeep Oberoi, CEO of Falcon. “Our partnership with Archer is a leap into the future, as we prepare to offer flying car services together in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, continuing our tradition of world-class transportation solutions.”

Archer’s vision is for Midnight to swap 60-90-minute commutes by car for back-to-back, 10-30-minute electric air taxi flights, with only 10-12 minutes of charge time between. Designed for a pilot plus up to four passengers, the aircraft has a range of 52 sm (45 nm) and cruise speed of 130 knots.

In addition to service in the U.S. in partnership with United Airlines, Archer intends to serve the entire UAE and Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

“We have made rapid progress in the UAE over the past three months since announcing Abu Dhabi and Dubai will be home to our first international Midnight flights as soon as 2025,” said Nikhil Goel, chief commercial officer of Archer. “We’re proud to be the first to announce plans to operate between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, along with vertiport infrastructure at both ends of the commuter journey.”

The ADIO, which is supporting Archer’s UAE launch with economic incentives, last year agreed to host the company’s engineering and manufacturing facilities within the Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industry (SAVI) cluster, an urban hub designed to speed the development of new land, air, and sea vehicles. Manufacturing partner Stellantis—which will support Midnight mass production and is aiding the construction of Archer’s scaled manufacturing plant in Covington, Georgia—will help build them.

Archer last year also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Emirati private heliport operator Air Chateau International for the planned purchase of 100 Midnight air taxis, which Air Chateau will operate regionwide. The partners are further exploring infrastructure investments, such as for vertiports and electric aircraft chargers, in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Complicating matters somewhat is the presence of eVTOL air taxi competitor Joby Aviation.

Joby last month signed an agreement with Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA)—the government entity that regulates the city’s public transport—for the exclusive right to operate electric air taxi services in Dubai for six years following the launch of service. That’s expected to happen in 2025 or 2026.

However, while it sounds like the arrangement would prevent Joby’s competitors from flying in Dubai, Archer CEO Adam Goldstein told FLYING that will not be the case.

“I do not believe it will impact our operations in Dubai or our ambitions in Dubai,” said Goldstein. “We believe we will be able to operate there, and we will have a strong hub out of Abu Dhabi. We’re glad to see Joby coming to the region and leaning in, because we think it’s a good early market for eVTOL players to start.”

By stepping up the company’s partnership with Falcon, the Archer CEO is putting his money where his mouth is. Vertiport infrastructure is not cheap, and Archer likely would not pursue it if it believed Dubai to be off the table.

Falcon in 2022 also purchased 35 air taxis from Embraer subsidiary Eve Air Mobility, with the companies announcing plans to launch eVTOL tourism flights in Dubai. China’s EHang and Germany’s Lilium are among other air taxi manufacturers looking to operate in the UAE.

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The company on Wednesday said it started building three type-conforming, piloted Midnight aircraft to be used in for-credit flight testing with the regulator, expected to begin later this year. Those evaluations represent a crucial step in the manufacturer’s path to type certification, which it hopes to achieve before its planned 2025 commercial launch.

Archer said component manufacturing for the type-conforming Midnight models is “well underway,” adding that final assembly of the first aircraft at its San Jose, California, manufacturing facility is “on track” to begin in the coming weeks. Prior to for-credit testing, the firm will use the aircraft for its initial piloted test campaign. Rival manufacturer Joby Aviation kicked off piloted test flights late last year.

The three aircraft will feature components that align with the type design specifications laid out for Archer by the FAA in December 2022. This will allow the regulator to evaluate a version of the aircraft resembling the one the company intends to launch commercially. Passing the test will be a key step toward Archer’s ambitions.

The start of type-conforming Midnight construction follows Archer’s completion of the first phase of uncrewed prototype flight test in January. The next phase, which will include a full wing-borne transition flight, is expected to begin in the coming months.

“The key to achieving FAA certification is flying a conforming aircraft,” said Adam Goldstein, founder and CEO of Archer. “I believe we are positioned to be the first in the sector to do so. From day one, Archer’s strategy has been to build an aircraft that is certifiable and manufacturable at scale. This focus is what has allowed us to move quicker and more efficiently than any other company in the industry over the last few years.”

Archer’s goal is to replace 60- to 90-minute commutes by car with 10- to 20-minute, 20 to 50 sm (17 to 43 nm) electric air taxi flights. In the U.S., the firm is working with United Airlines to launch routes in major cities such as New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles—and potentially other cities housing United hub airports.

Midnight is designed to carry a pilot plus four passengers on rapid, back-to-back flights, with as little as 10 minutes of charge time between them. The air taxi has a projected 100 sm (87 nm) range and 130-knot cruise speed.

In October, Archer secured $65 million in funding for what it bills as the “world’s largest” eVTOL production plant in Covington, Georgia. According to the company, the funds will cover “substantial majority” of construction costs. The first phase of construction is expected to wrap up this year, providing capacity to produce 650 aircraft annually. In the second phase, production capacity will swell to 2,000 aircraft per year.

Archer expects to keep manufacturing costs lower than those of its competitors by leveraging a network of outside aerospace providers, such as Safran, Garmin, and Honeywell. Rival manufacturers such as Lilium are also adopting that strategy—many of them are working with the same suppliers.

When (or if) Archer receives type certification from the FAA, the firm will also need to obtain production certification to begin ramping up operations in Covington. Airworthiness certification rounds up the trifecta of approvals the company will need to scale operations.

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The company announced Wednesday that Midnight completed Phase 1 of its flight test campaign and is “on track” to begin for-credit testing with the FAA later this year. Those evaluations represent a critical step in type certification of the novel design.

Midnight wrapped up Phase 1 just three months after its maiden voyage in October, completing the process significantly faster than the company’s preproduction prototype, Maker. Archer said it is making “rapid progress” toward Phase 2, which will include a full wing-borne transition flight.

The company also upgraded Midnight’s battery system with some of the first high-voltage battery packs off its San Jose, California, production line as it readies for production. These milestones, Archer said, keep the aircraft’s certification schedule on time.

Archer is one of many U.S. eVTOL manufacturers targeting type certification, alongside Joby Aviation, Beta Technologies, Boeing’s Wisk Aero, and Overair. But so far, only one firm in the world—China’s EHang—has obtained its civil aviation authority’s approval.

“Midnight is progressing efficiently through our flight test program,” said Adam Goldstein, founder and CEO of Archer. “Over the last four years of flight testing, our team has been able to gather a tremendous amount of data and learnings that enable us to advance Midnight rapidly towards certification.”

Midnight is designed to fly a pilot plus four passengers on rapid, back-to-back flights, with only 10 to 12 minutes of charge time in between. The tiltrotor design features six fixed propellers for vertical flight and half a dozen more that rotate forward to support the wings in cruise.

Archer intends for Midnight to replace 60-to-90-minute commutes by car with 10-to-20-minute electric flights. The company claims these will be safe, low emission, and low noise while remaining cost-competitive with ground-based rideshare services like Uber or Lyft.

Midnight Milestones

During Phase 1 of its flight test campaign, the air taxi covered increasingly complex flight maneuvers and data-gathering missions. The next phase will introduce an incremental approach to speed testing, in which the aircraft flies faster and faster until achieving full wing-borne transition. The maneuver would represent a major milestone in its eVTOL design, demonstrating both vertical lift and winged cruise in a single flight.

Once that’s achieved, Phase 3 will introduce simulated commercial routes, which will help demonstrate Midnight’s operational readiness. Then, it’s on to for-credit testing with the FAA. The regulator will have the final say on whether the air taxi is fit to fly.

Like other air taxi manufacturers, Archer is concurrently working AFWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Air Force, under a $142 million contract, which calls for the delivery of up to six aircraft. These will be deployed for personnel transport, logistics support, rescue operations, and more. Beyond the Air Force, other military branches will be able to leverage the contracts for different projects.

Archer has already begun construction on a scaled manufacturing plant, where it plans to produce up to 650 aircraft per year in partnership with automaker Stellantis. In October, Archer secured funding that it said will cover the “substantial majority” of construction costs.

Simultaneously, the manufacturer is building out electric infrastructure for Midnight’s eventual debut. Last year, it partnered with eVTOL competitor Beta Technologies to acquire charging systems and create a nationwide network. Both companies recently partnered with Atlantic Aviation to electrify FBOs across the U.S. Earlier this month, Archer signed on to a battery cell testing partnership with NASA.

Once Midnight is certified, Archer is charting routes in the U.S. in partnership with United Airlines in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and other cities with United hub airports. Air taxis would connect passengers in the Chicago suburbs to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (KORD) and those in downtown Manhattan to Newark Liberty International Airport (KEWR), for example. United also has hub locations in Denver, Houston, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.

United was Archer’s first commercial customer, but the firm announced its second and third buyers in November. Indian travel conglomerate InterGlobe will order 200 Midnight air taxis for an undisclosed fee, while Emirati heliport operator Air Chateau agreed to acquire 100 aircraft for about $500 million.

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The space agency on Monday announced a new collaboration with electric aircraft manufacturer Archer Aviation to explore how the company’s battery cell systems—designed for its flagship Midnight air taxi—could one day be applied for space. 

A core focus of the collaboration, the partners said, is ensuring U.S. leadership in the next generation of air transportation. It follows air taxi simulations NASA conducted with Archer competitor Joby Aviation, and both come in the wake of the world’s first electric air taxi flight for a paying customer, completed by China’s EHang in December. EHang has also begun deliveries to its operational partners.

The industry leadership of Archer, Joby, and other American air taxi manufacturers is being challenged by Chinese firms, such as EHang and AutoFlight, as well as European rivals such as Volocopter. U.S. lawmakers and government agencies fear those companies could undermine American firms by beating them to commercial launch and scale.

“Many countries around the world are challenging the U.S. in this new era of flight, and our country is at risk of losing its global leadership position unless we work together, government and industry, to ensure we seize the moment and pioneer this new era of aviation technology, which stands to benefit all Americans,” said Adam Goldstein, founder and CEO of Archer.

The initial NASA project will study and test Archer’s battery packs to see how they can safely support advanced air mobility (AAM) operations. The goal is to validate the technology for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis like Midnight, electric conventional takeoff and landing (eCTOL) designs such as Beta Technologies’ CX300, and potentially even usage in space.

According to Archer, the initial focus on battery cell safety is part of a “much larger partnership” with NASA under a Space Act Agreement for the advancement of “mission-critical” eVTOL aircraft technology.

The company believes the maturation of battery cell technology, in particular, will be key to U.S. mass production and adoption of eVTOL air taxis and other AAM services. Following testing, it plans to share the results with the industry to help it develop more efficient battery system supply chains.

“AAM promises to provide substantial public benefits to our communities, including transforming how urban and rural communities live and commute by maximizing mobility, bolstering cargo and logistics options, and creating pathways to manufacturing jobs and other ladders of social and economic opportunity,” Archer said in a news release. “Core to unlocking this potential is designing, developing, and mass producing batteries and electric motors that are purpose built for electric aircraft.”

Archer’s battery packs are designed specifically to power Midnight’s proprietary electric powertrain, which the company is beginning to mass manufacture. It said the cell’s cylindrical form factor “has a track record of safety, performance and scalability proven through decades of volume manufacturing, deployed across many applications globally, including in millions of electric vehicles.”

NASA will test the battery system’s safety, energy, and power performance capabilities using the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), one of the world’s most advanced high speed X-ray facilities. It will seek to understand how the cells function in “extreme abuse cases,” perhaps as a way to simulate the harsh environment of space.

NASA—which in addition to Archer and Joby is collaborating with the U.S. Air Force and other partners on an array of AAM initiatives—is one of many government agencies aiming to assert U.S. leadership in emerging aviation.

AFWERX, the innovation arm of the Air Force, is working with Archer, Joby, and plenty of other manufacturers in a series of “quid-pro-quo” arrangements. The manufacturers receive access to Air Force resources and feedback that can speed aircraft development, testing, and commercialization, and the Air Force gets to explore defense use cases for technology not yet on the market. AFWERX is also collaborating with the FAA to share flight test data and capabilities.

The FAA has been tasked with spearheading the growth of the domestic AAM industry. So far, the agency has released an AAM Concept of Operations, which will serve as the early blueprint for regulations and operational rules to enable scale. The first stage of that blueprint is detailed further in the regulator’s Innovate28 plan—a timeline of goals and milestones culminating in initial AAM operations by the time the 2028 Summer Olympics arrive in Los Angeles.

However, the U.S. may be four years behind its global competition: Germany’s Volocopter, China’s AutoFlight, and several other non-U.S. manufacturers plan to demonstrate or commercially launch their air taxis at the Paris Olympic Games this summer.

Both Archer and Joby anticipate entry into service in 2025, pending type certification of their respective aircraft. But though they may arrive on the scene after their foreign counterparts, the opportunity to lead remains. Later entrants will be able to evaluate the successes (or failures) of the initial wave of aircraft. Through collaborations such as the one between Archer and NASA, they’ll have more time to research safe, scaled operations.

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The post NASA, Archer Battery Testing Partnership Aims to Assert U.S. Air Taxi Leadership appeared first on FLYING Magazine.