In a statement released on July 2, 2024, the pair said that Archer had received $55 million from in response to Midnight completing its first transition flight, successfully moving from vertical takeoff to wing-borne flight.听 听

In 2023, Stellantis invested $110 million in Archer and in March 2024 went further with the purchase of 8.3 million shares, valued at $39 million, of Archer stock. 

鈥淭he commitment by Stellantis to Archer has been unrivaled, from its foresight to provide the manufacturing expertise and capital needed to accelerate Archer精东影业 business objectives, to the strategic vision and steadfast support from Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares,鈥� Archer CEO, Adam Goldstein, said. 鈥淭ogether, we鈥檙e working to redefine urban transportation, opening new worlds of opportunity for citizens across the globe by providing more efficient access to people, places, and events across the regions they live in.鈥� 

After Midnight completed its first transition flight at Archer精东影业 flight test facility in Salinas, California, on June 8, 2024, the company continues to focus on testing and constructing the infrastructure necessary to build its eVTOL aircraft on a mass scale.  

Archer精东影业 high-volume manufacturing facility in Georgia will open later this year with the base projected to support production of up to 650 aircraft annually.  

鈥淔ew things rival the excitement of seeing a dream take flight. I applaud the innovation, expertise and hard work of the engineering and manufacturing teams from Stellantis and Archer,鈥� Carlos Tavares, Stellantis CEO, said. 鈥淲ith this additional investment in Archer, we remain on course for a future where freedom of mobility extends beyond today精东影业 roads.鈥�   

Stellantis has been a strategic partner to Archer since 2020 through various collaboration initiatives and has been an investor since 2021.   

Archer draws on Stellantis鈥� expertise in manufacturing, supply chains, and design expertise to support the development and commercialization of Midnight.  

Archer精东影业 Midnight is a piloted, four-passenger aircraft designed to perform rapid back-to-back flights with minimal charge time between flights.听

Archer精东影业 Midnight eVTOL aircraft completes first-ever transition flight: video

• Aircraft
• Sustainability

byIan Molyneaux

2024-06-12

The agreement announced on June 17, 2024, gives Archer access to takeoff and landing sites in major metropolitan areas across the US and globally, including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay Area, and Texas.听听听

The MOU identifies day-one opportunities for launching Archer精东影业 air taxi service in key United Airlines hubs at Newark International (EWR) and Chicago O鈥橦are (ORD) airports, as early as the end of 2025. 

Archer and United Airlines are working closely to launch the first commercial electric air taxi route in Chicago. 

鈥淲e are thrilled to join forces with Signature Aviation to advance the infrastructure needed to support the future of urban air mobility. By focusing on electrifying key aviation assets in major cities such as New York and Chicago, we are taking essential steps toward making sustainable and efficient air travel a reality,鈥� said Bryan Bernhard, Archer精东影业 Chief Growth & Infrastructure Officer.  

Bernhard added: 鈥淭his partnership will help us establish a robust network of landing sites across the country to enable the scaling of our air taxi service, ensuring our Midnight aircraft can seamlessly integrate into urban environments and provide a reliable transportation solution for our passengers.鈥� 

Archer and Signature plan to leverage their existing partnerships with BETA Technologies to install the company精东影业 interoperable rapid recharging systems across the network of private aviation terminals.   

These systems utilize the Combined Charging System, which can charge electric aircraft, cars, airplane tugs, buses, and other forms of transportation commonly used at airports.听

鈥淲e鈥檙e committed to shaping the future of aviation through sustainability and thrilled to work alongside Archer as we expand our infrastructure to support the electrification of the industry,鈥� Derek DeCross, Chief Commercial Officer at Signature Aviation, said. 鈥淭his collaboration unlocks new possibilities in the design and introduction of innovative sustainable aviation solutions while also bringing our guests greater access to the future of urban air mobility via Archer精东影业 Midnight aircraft.鈥澨�

Archer Aviation精东影业 eVTOL aircraft Midnight recently completed its first-ever transition flight, successfully moving from vertical takeoff to wing-borne flight.听听听

The news came only a few days after the developer’s subsidiary, Archer Air, received its Part 135 Air Carrier and Operator Certificate from the (FAA) in the US.听听听

Archer becomes only the second eVTOL developer in the world, after Joby Aviation, to secure the Part 135 certificate from the FAA.   

Archer精东影业 Midnight eVTOL aircraft completes first-ever transition flight: video

• Aircraft
• Sustainability

byIan Molyneaux

2024-06-12

The flight was conducted at Archer精东影业 flight test facility in Salinas, California, on June 8, 2024, where Midnight reached speeds of over 100 mph before landing safely.  

Although the flight represents Midnight精东影业 first airborne transition, Archer initially achieved the feat using its smaller full-scale eVTOL aircraft, Maker, in November 2022.听

鈥淭ransitioning two generations of full-scale eVTOL aircraft in less than 2 years is another remarkable achievement for Archer精东影业 team. This shows we continue to successfully execute against our plan to create the most efficient path to market with an aircraft that is designed for certification and to be manufactured efficiently at scale,鈥� said Adam Goldstein, Archer精东影业 Founder and CEO. 

In a statement on June 12, 2024, Archer said that Midnight is thought to be among one of the largest eVTOLs to complete transition, which it said is 鈥渃ritical to being able to carry commercially viable passenger payloads鈥�.听

Only seven months ago Archer announced that Midnight had successfully completed its first flight. 

Archer has already established important relationships with United Airlines and the United States Air Force (USAF) which have both agreed to purchase Midnight aircraft.  

鈥淪uccessfully completing the transition from hover to wing-borne flight with a full-scale eVTOL aircraft is a tremendous engineering feat that only a handful of companies in the world have achieved,鈥� Dr. Geoff Bower, Archer精东影业 Chief Engineer, said. 鈥淥ver the seven eVTOL aircraft I鈥檝e built and flown in my career, they have gotten progressively larger as we pursued payloads that made the aircraft platform commercially viable. 鈥� 

A transition flight occurs when the aircraft takes off vertically like a helicopter, accelerates forward, transitions from thrust-borne to wing-borne flight like an airplane with tilt propellers forward before decelerating and landing vertically.听

Archer becomes only second eVTOL developer to secure key FAA certification

• Aircraft
• Sustainability

byIan Molyneaux

2024-06-06

The certificate allows Archer Aviation to begin operating aircraft commercially to refine its systems and procedures in advance of launching its eVTOL Midnight, once it receives Type Certification, into service for airlines like United Airlines.听

The Part 135 certificate signals that Archer Air demonstrated to the its adherence to the necessary policies and procedures to begin operating aircraft commercially.听

Archer becomes only the second eVTOL developer in the world, after Joby Aviation, to secure the Part 135 certificate from the FAA. 

Archer previously announced it had received its Part 145 from the FAA, which allows it to perform specialized aircraft repair services. 

Now with both certificates received, once Midnight receives its Type Certification, Archer will be able to commence air taxi operations. 

“We are honored to receive the Part 135 Air Carrier & Operator Certificate from the FAA, which is another important stepping stone on the way to commencing commercial air taxi operations with our Midnight aircraft,” Adam Goldstein, Founder and CEO of Archer, said. “This milestone reflects our team’s unwavering dedication to safety and operational excellence as we stand up one of the world精东影业 first electric air taxi services for communities across the US with a safe, sustainable and low noise transportation solution.鈥� 

The completion of the Part 135 certification process involved five rigorous stages, which entailed the submission of extensive documentation of operational manuals and procedures. 

Archer精东影业 pilots also needed to demonstrate proficiency with those manuals and procedures under FAA observation. 

“The pace of progress and innovation that Archer has achieved over the last few years is nothing short of impressive and today marks another key milestone in their journey to bring safe, sustainable, and low noise air taxi services to market,” said Mike Leskinen, United Airline精东影业 Chief Financial Officer, said. “United Airlines extends our congratulations to Archer精东影业 team on receiving their Part 135 Air Carrier & Operator Certificate. Together, we look forward to shaping the future of air transportation and delivering unparalleled flying experiences to United passengers.”听

Archer Aviation given FAA精东影业 airworthiness criteria for Midnight eVTOL aircraft

• Aviation Safety
• Sustainability

byIan Molyneaux

2024-05-24

The airworthiness criteria, on May 24, 2024, set out the direction in which Archer must now travel to achieve Type Certification and eventually transport paying passengers.听

鈥淭he FAA announces the special class airworthiness criteria for the Archer Aviation, Inc. This document sets forth the airworthiness criteria the FAA finds to be appropriate and applicable for the powered-lift design,鈥� the FAA airworthiness criteria read.  

Archer has become only the second eVTOL aircraft developer to receive final airworthiness criteria. Joby Aviation were provided with similar documentation in March 2024.  

The finalization of Archer精东影业 airworthiness criteria unlocks the ability for Archer to work with the FAA to obtain the remaining final approvals on its certification and test plans.听

This is a critical step as Archer continues to ramp up its 鈥榝or credit鈥� testing with the FAA and prepares to begin its piloted flight testing later this year. 

鈥淢idnight is one giant step closer to taking passengers into the sky in the coming years in the U.S. The final airworthiness criteria for Midnight are an important step on our journey to make electric flying taxis an everyday reality,鈥� Billy Nolen, Archer Chief Regulatory Affairs Officer and former Administrator of the FAA, said. 鈥淭hank you to the team at the FAA for their continued hard work in support of making the electrification of aviation a reality.鈥� 

Archer has made significant progress on the construction of its first three piloted conforming Midnight aircraft.  

The first aircraft in this initial fleet will begin piloted flight testing later this year, and subsequently be used in 鈥榝or credit鈥� flight testing with the FAA as the company progresses towards commercialization. 

Archer精东影业 goal is to transform urban travel, replacing 60鈥�90-minute commutes by car with estimated 10-20 minute flights that are safe, sustainable, low-noise, and cost-competitive with ground transportation.听听

Archer Aviation partners with Etihad for eVTOL pilot training in Abu Dhabi听听听听

• Aviation Technology and Innovation
• Future Aviation Forum

byLuke Peters

2024-05-21

On April 17, 2024, the two companies announced that they had signed a letter of intent for up to 10 eVTOL aircraft, with an option for 40 more in the future.

鈥淲e appreciate AirX精东影业 trust and confidence in Eve by not only purchasing our eVTOL aircraft, but services and operations solutions and our Vector 鈥� the urban air traffic management software,鈥� Johann Bordais, CEO of Eve, said. 鈥淛apan has been progressive in their approach and interest in eVTOL operations, and we look forward to continuing to expand our relationships and as we support Japan精东影业 urban air mobility objectives going forward.鈥�

Eve Air精东影业 flying taxi is considered one of the leading eVTOLs in the evolving industry and has already secured letters of intent for nearly 3,000 vehicles.

The company has begun assembly of its first full-scale eVTOL prototype. It will be followed by a test campaign before the aircraft enters into service, which is expected in 2026.

鈥淲e are deeply impressed not only by EVE精东影业 technological capabilities, but also by their commitment to building an ecosystem,鈥� Kiwamu Tezuka, CEO of AirX, said. 鈥淥ur aim is to revolutionize the current industry, making transport services useful and affordable for everyone. By integrating our knowledge, experiences, and existing business platform with EVE精东影业 comprehensive solutions, we hope to overcome transportation limitations by advancing eVTOL operations in Japan.鈥�

That's a wrap on our last Trade day of the ! We had the best time discussing how Eve plans to revolutionize the skies, collaborating with industry partners, and showcasing our mock-up for the first time in Asia.

— Eve Air Mobility (@EveAirMobility)

AirX is helping to lead development of the urban air mobility (UAM) industry in Japan. It has already announced the launch of the Greater Tokyo Area精东影业 first eVTOL test field, the UAM Centre.

The UAM Centre is set to 鈥渞evolutionize air travel in the Tokyo metropolitan area, showcasing the company精东影业 commitment to innovation and the future of transportation鈥�.

Eve精东影业 eVTOL aircraft utilizes a 鈥渓ift+cruise鈥� configuration, with eight dedicated propellers for vertical flight and fixed wings to fly on cruise, requiring no change in the position of these components during flight.

Doroni Aerospace and AIR bring personal eVTOLs closer to reality听

• Aviation Technology and Innovation

byMiquel Ros

2024-04-17

According to the Joby Aviation , released on February 11, 2024, the parties agreed to start air taxi services by early 2026, with the manufacturer aiming for initial operation to begin as early as 2025. Under the terms of the agreement, the developer of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft has won an exclusive right to operate air taxis in Dubai for a six-year period with an opportunity to lay the groundwork for further expansion across the UAE in the future.

鈥淲e鈥檙e looking forward to delivering an incredible experience for residents and visitors to Dubai as early as 2025 and we鈥檙e excited to be laying the groundwork for the expansion of our service across the wider UAE,鈥� said JoeBen Bevirt, the founder and CEO of Joby Aviation.

Aiming to position Dubai as the world leader in fast, quiet, and efficient urban air travel, the RTA has granted Joby Aviation a package of various support, which includes financial mechanisms. This should ensure the manufacturer smooth entry and development of air taxi services across the most populous city of the UAE.

鈥淭he air taxi service is part of RTA精东影业 efforts to embrace future transportation technologies and offers a novel and efficient mobility option for Dubai’s residents and visitors, enabling fast, safe, and convenient travel to key city spots,鈥� said Mattar Al Tayer, the Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors for RTA.

Aside from the agreement with the transportation authority, Joby Aviation has also entered into a separate agreement with Skyports, which will design and construct four initial vertiport sites across the city. Currently, Joby has selected Dubai International Airport (DXB), Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Marina, and Dubai Downtown as its launch locations for the new service.

What do we know about Joby Aviation精东影业 eVTOL aircraft so far?

Built for a piloted on-demand air taxi service purpose, the Joby eVTOL aircraft is designed to fly up to 150 miles (240 kilometers) on a single charge at a top speed of 200 miles per hour (around 320 kilometers per hour). According to the manufacturer, the potential pioneer of urban air mobility in Dubai is capable of carrying a single pilot and four passengers.

Joby Aviation demonstrates eVTOL air taxi in New York City

• Aircraft
• Aviation
• Aviation Manufacturing
• Aviation Technology and Innovation

byLuke Peters

2023-11-16

The full-scale prototype aircraft has flown already over 30,000 miles (48,280 kilometers) and is currently undergoing a multi-year testing program with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to obtain certification for commercial passenger operations. It has already completed the initial two stages of the five required for certification.

Most recently, on February 8, 2024, Joby Aviation received the Maintenance Certificate from the FAA, laying the foundation for future maintenance, repair, and overhaul services (MRO) for its eVTOL aircraft fleet.

The companies have announced that they have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the goal of launching and operating an all-electric air taxi service in India, subject to appropriate regulatory approvals and clearances.

According to a joint statement issued by the companies, the parties have entered into the MoU with the aim of providing a revolutionary transportation solution for the country, improving urban mobility with a safe, sustainable, and low-noise electric air taxi service that is cost-competitive with ground transportation.

The parties intend to work with select in-country business partners to operate Archer精东影业 aircraft, finance and build vertiport infrastructure, and train pilots and other personnel needed for these operations. The partnership also plans to finance the purchase of up to 200 of Archer精东影业 Midnight aircraft for the India operations.

Archer精东影业 Midnight aircraft is a piloted, four-passenger electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft designed to perform rapid back-to-back flights with minimal charge time between flights.

The goal is for a passenger on an InterGlobe/Archer flight to be able to fly the 27km (17 miles trip from Connaught Place in downtown Delhi to Gurugram in approximately 7 minutes. The same journey by car takes between 60 and 90 minutes by car.

In addition to urban air taxi services, the parties plan to pursue various other use cases for electric aircraft in India. Such opportunities include cargo, logistics, medical and emergency services, and private charter services.

What are the new partners saying?

Rahul Bhatia, Group Managing Director of InterGlobe, said, 鈥淥ver the last two decades, InterGlobe has been involved in providing safe, efficient, and affordable transportation to hundreds of millions of Indians across the country. We are excited at this new opportunity of bringing an effective, futuristic and sustainable transport solution by introducing Archer精东影业 electric aircraft to India.鈥�

Meanwhile, Archer Aviation精东影业 CEO and Founder, Adam Goldstein, said, 鈥淚 founded Archer with the vision to help decongest the world精东影业 largest cities. India is one of, if not the largest, opportunity for eVTOL aircraft utilization in the world, as it is home to the world精东影业 largest population of over 1.4 billion people, and its largest cities face some of the greatest congestion challenges in the world. Archer精东影业 all-electric Midnight aircraft is designed to provide a revolutionary transportation solution that can help address these congestion issues.鈥�

Nikhil Goel, Chief Commercial Officer of Archer Aviation, added: 鈥淎t Archer, our goal is to make cities greener, smarter, more efficient places to live. We couldn鈥檛 be more excited to be partnering with Rahul and the InterGlobe team to bring our Midnight aircraft to Indian cities and fundamentally transform mobility across the country, with the goal of starting with Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru.鈥�

The World Bank projects that the urban population will more than double by 2050, with short road commutes taking up to 2 hours in many of the world精东影业 largest cities. Archer精东影业 electric air taxis are designed to provide a safe and sustainable, low-noise urban mobility solution for India as the country races towards becoming a $5 trillion economy.

The companies are prepared to lay the groundwork for air taxis nationwide if the launch of self-flying eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) is successful.  

The partnership was announced on May 9, 2023, and will additionally include Japan Airlines’ engineering division, JAL Engineering (JALEC), to establish the appropriate maintenance and operation work for Wisk精东影业 sixth-generation electric aircraft.  

鈥淲isk and Japan Airlines share a commitment to safe, accessible transportation and to ensuring that our services provide long-term benefit to the communities that we serve鈥�, Brian Yutko, CEO of Wisk said. 鈥淲e look forward to working together to bring autonomous everyday flight to Japan and to further advancing Advanced Air Mobility in the broader APAC region.鈥澨�

Wisk精东影业 air taxi is expected to have a maximum operating altitude of 2,500 to 4,000 feet (760 – 1,220 meters) with a range of 90 miles (144 kilometers) and a cruise speed of 120 knots (222 kilometers per hour). As certain parts of Japan are affected by heavy road traffic, air taxis can serve as a quick transportation solution. Ryo Tamura, CEO of JALEC, views this partnership as 鈥渢he first step towards the development of safe air mobility in Japan.鈥� 

The memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by the companies aims to establish a framework for research that demonstrates the aircraft’s capabilities in Japanese airspace and the launches of fleet operations. Additionally, it will support the type certification approval of the vehicle in Japan, ensuring its future operation in the region. 

Japan Airlines had previously anticipated launching flying cars by 2025 alongside an agreement with aircraft leasing company Avolon signed in October 2021. However, no official statement or update has been made regarding the commercial launch of this eVTOL self-flying taxi in Japan since then.听

Avolon signs deal with JAL for electric air taxis in Japan 鈥�

• Aviation Technology and Innovation

byVictoria Bryan

2021-10-20

The technology appeared to be just around the corner for decades but was never accessible to the wider public. 

However, recent developments have shown that we may have finally reached the point where it is not only possible that these aircraft will soon be appearing in our skies, but inevitable. 

Scores of companies, both startups and those that are more well-established, have produced and tested prototypes of their vehicles and are inching closer to making the technology available to the general public. 

This begs the question: when and where will passengers be able to fly on the first eVTOLs?  

Many eVTOL companies have already conducted test or demonstrational flights, although almost all have been unmanned. Some have tested what they claim to be prototypes of their soon-to-be-mass-produced aircraft, while others have only flown demonstrators aimed at proving the technology.  

Of those that tested the prototypes, some have already begun the certification process: a necessary, yet complicated process of getting an approval from a flight regulations authority of an appropriate country. It is often considered to be the last major hurdle before an aircraft can be mass-produced and sold to operators.  

So, which of these aircraft will become the first to reach the consumer? 

First eVTOL 

Pretty much every major eVTOL manufacturer has already applied for certification in the United States, Europe, and Japan among other countries. This process went better for some than for others. 

Some of those yet to achieve certification, such as Brazil精东影业 EVE, UK精东影业 Vertical Aerospace and South Korea精东影业 Jaunt Air Mobility, claim to be aiming to achieve certification by late 2025/early 2026. A number of other manufacturers have even set their sights on an early launch date. 

Germany-based Volocopter, which conducted the maiden flight of its VoloCity eVTOL in 2021, recently that it was planning to apply for type certificate in the US by the end of 2023, hoping to receive approval a year or two later. However, the company has already applications to be certified in Europe, Japan and Singapore, with the goal of being certified by 2024 in at least some of these countries.  

Another manufacturer, the US-based Archer Aviation, recently announced that it was seeking to receive type certificate in the US by 2024. While the plan seems optimistic, the company was one of the first to perform a transition between vertical and horizontal flight on a prototype of its two-seat eVTOL called Maker. 

Joby Aviation is another company which applied for certification in the US, the United Kingdom, and Japan, among other countries. In mid-2022 it received a certificate to operate commercial aircraft from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). However, its aircraft are not yet certified. While initial plans saw the company精东影业 six-engine twin-seat eVTOL as being certified by the start of 2024, the process took longer than expected, and as of February 2023, only two of the five stages of type certification had been completed. 听

UPDATE 15-05-2023, 11:00 (UTC +3):听In an email to 精东影业 Joby Aviation spokesperson Katie Pribyl said that the company is now on track to be certified in 2024.听

Numerous eVTOL companies have also applied for certification in China, with most aiming to launch cargo services first. However, there are several notable outliers.  

Internationally, EHang is likely the most recognized Chinese eVTOL brand. The company previously to receive Chinese type certificate as soon as mid-2022 and while that failed to materialize, the process is ongoing.  

At least one other Chinese company, XPeng, also to receive a type certificate for its twin-seat eVTOL in 2024. 

First services 

Of course, simply producing or selling an eVTOL is not enough. eVTOLS rely on automated controls and require sprawling ground infrastructure, meaning that there is much more to their operation than simply buying them in bulk. 

Furthermore, appropriate legislation has to be adopted to allow such operations, a feat that time and time again has proven to be incredibly difficult to pull off quickly. 

So, where can we expect the first eVTOL service to be established?  

One company that marketed itself as seeking to become the first eVTOL airline Joby, back when it expected to receive type certification in 2022.  

Now the company精东影业 claims are more modest, aiming to start its first regular service in 2025 during the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. Some statements issued by the company seem to suggest that a regular service could be launched in the US the same year. 

For several years now, Archer Aviation has expected to receive a type certificate in the US in 2024 and has long that it aims to launch its Urban Air Mobility network in Miami during the same year. However, the company精东影业 latest reveal that the date has been pushed to 2025.  

Volocopter, another eVTOL heavyweight, has also tied the start of its services in some countries to large events. Ever since starting its test campaign in 2021, the company has harbored plans to operate eVTOL services during the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics. The company has been performing tests and collaborating with the French government ever since, and its latest press claim the plan is on track. 

However, there is no indication that Volocopter精东影业 services in Paris are expected to be regular and continue after the Olympics. So, this case is likely to be the first large-scale public test of the eVTOL concept. 

When it comes to the start of regular long-time services, Volocopter is also aiming for 2024, although this time in Singapore.  

In early 2022, the company announced the plan to start operating air taxi service in the Southeast Asian city-state. No further details have been released, and the company has not issued any official updates since the initial announcement. However, in an email to 精东影业, Volocopter confirmed that the plan to launch service in Singapore as early as 2024 is still on track. 

Volocopter to launch Singapore service in 2024

• Aviation Technology and Innovation

byValius Venckunas

2022-02-15

Volocopter also recently said that it was also considering Italy as another place to launch its first regular service in 2024, although that statement was phrased more as an estimate than a commitment. 

So, while available information suggests Volocopter could become the first operator of eVTOL services in France, Singapore or Italy in 2024, there is also one wildcard to consider: EHang. 

While the Chinese company did not announce any concrete plans for the start of its services, it appears to be the closest to getting its aircraft certified. This would allow it to overtake Volocopter and announce the first eVTOL service in the world.  

But which of the two companies will be the first to see their eVTOLs in operation? We will have to wait and see.