by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian J. McNabb
Archer Aviation, a San Jose-based eVTOL developer, recently held an event with the Federal Advanced Air Mobility interagency working group at its facility, where they showcased their new eVTOL technology. The working group, comprising of representatives from the FAA, NASA, the White House, and a host of other government agencies, is seeking new investment opportunities in advanced air mobility, which they define as “a transportation system that will move people and property by air using highly automated aircraft with advanced technologies in controlled and uncontrolled airspace within the United States”. Archer’s new “Midnight” eVTOL, first unveiled late last year, certainly fits the bill, with advanced technologies including their proprietary twelve-tilt-six configuration.
Around 70 representatives saw a live flight test of the “Midnight” eVTOL, which is around 1000x quieter than a helicopter and can operate for 20-minute stints with minimal charging time in between for a range of roughly 100 miles. In their recent press release, Adam Goldstein, CEO of Archer, stated, “For many of our guests, this was the first time they’ve been able to witness an eVTOL aircraft flight in person. Our showcase emphasized just how far along we are, and demonstrated the safety and low noise advantages of eVTOL aircraft.”
Archer Aviation has been in the news recently for hiring Billy Nolen, former Acting Administrator of the FAA, who championed AAM during his time there. By hiring Nolen and hosting high-profile events like this one, Archer is signaling its close relationship with US regulators, which helped contribute to a spike in their stock price Wednesday as Archer seeks approval for its Midnight. The FAA has increased its resources devoted to advanced air mobility regulation and development recently, (publishing airworthiness criteria for the Midnight eVTOL in December) and the recent passage of the Federal Advanced Air Mobility Act has highlighted that the government is aware of the massive potential of the AAM sector in the United States. Overall, signs are looking strong for Archer’s efforts to bring their eVTOLs to the commercial market by 2025, an important step for the American AAM industry and the development of eVTOLs worldwide.
Read More:
- Lilium Jet Becomes First eVTOL with Both EASA and FAA Certification Basis
- FAA Publishes Airworthiness Criteria for Archer’s Midnight Aircraft: A Big Step Towards Commercialization
- FAA Acting Administrator Billy Nolen to Join eVTOL Aircraft Manufacturer Archer Aviation
- Stellantis to Manufacture Archer eVTOL, Provide Strategic Funding
Ian McNabb is a staff writer based in Boston, MA. His interests include geopolitics, emerging technologies, environmental sustainability, and Boston College sports.
Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.
For drone industry consulting or writing, Email Miriam.
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