Archer Aviation

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Archer
TypePublic
IndustryAviation
Area served
Worldwide
ProductsElectric aircraft
Number of employees
200+
Websitearcher.com

Archer Aviation is an American company that designs electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.[1] It is headquartered in Palo Alto, California.[2][3] Archer's eVTOL have a range of 60 miles and travel at speeds of up to 150 mph.[4]

Its eVTOL aircraft are used to transport people in and around cities as part of an aerial ridesharing network.[5][6][7][8] United Airlines has also ordered two hundred Archer planes.[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 electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. It has 12 electric propellers, six tilt-props (each with five blades) for forward and VTOL flight, and six stationary propellers for VTOL-only flight (each propeller having two blades). Maker is designed to travel at up to 150 mph over 60 miles. The aircraft is fully electric and powered by six independent battery packs.[10][12][13][14][15][16] In November 2021, Archer moved Maker from its headquarters to its flight test facility to start initial test flights.[17] Maker also received its airworthiness certificate from the FAA in December 2021.[18] Archer also completed its first flight in December 2021.[19][20][21]

During the Maker unveil, Archer also said that they are designing a production aircraft with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This aircraft will seat four people plus a pilot, and will be used in Archer's aerial ridesharing service.[22] Archer intends to complete FAA certification in 2024 and start operating directly afterwards.[23]

Archer's aerial ridesharing service, also referred to as Urban Air Mobility (UAM), is scheduled to begin operations in Miami, Florida and Los Angeles, California in 2024.[24][25][26] Archer is working with Urban Movement Labs and the Los Angeles Department of Transportation to help build the necessary infrastructure and service routes.[5] It is also working with the City of Miami on similar plans.[24]

History[]

Archer was founded on October 16, 2018, by Brett Adcock and Adam Goldstein to develop electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.[27][16] The company was originally started by Adcock and Goldstein out of pocket.[28][16][29][30][31] Later, Marc Lore, a Walmart executive, also supported its launch.[32]

Initially, Archer worked on developing aircraft with the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering at the University of Florida, from which both Adcock and Goldstein graduated.[33] Archer now operates a research lab on the University of Florida's campus in Gainesville, Florida, which was funded by Adcock and Goldstein.[33]

References[]

  1. ^ Nichols, Greg (February 26, 2021). "Flying cars over Los Angeles by 2024". ZDNet.
  2. ^ "US airline set to buy flying electric taxis for airport runs". BBC News. February 11, 2021.
  3. ^ Scarbrough, Meg (August 23, 2021). "Archer Moves Forward With Plans to Go Public". Flying.
  4. ^ "Electric Aircraft Startup Archer To Go Public; United Airlines Invests And Orders Electric Aircraft". Hospitality Ireland.
  5. ^ a b Korosec, Kirsten (February 23, 2021). "Archer Aviation aims to launch network of urban air taxis in Los Angeles by 2024". TechCrunch.
  6. ^ Alcock, Charles (February 10, 2021). "United Unveils Plans for eVTOL Aircraft Airport Shuttle Rides". Aviation International News.
  7. ^ "Air-Taxi Startup Archer Secures United Airlines Order In Deal To Go Public". Aviation Week & Space Technology. February 10, 2021.
  8. ^ Bartiromo, Michael (February 11, 2021). "United Airlines buying electric 'air taxis' to transport customers to airport". FOX Business.
  9. ^ Rucinski, Tracy; Nishant, Niket (February 10, 2021). "Archer to go public, United Airlines invests and orders electric aircraft". Reuters.
  10. ^ a b Yao, Deborah. "Best Airline Stocks to Buy as the Industry Takes Off Again". Kiplinger. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
  11. ^ Caswell, Mark (March 25, 2021). "Finnair signs Letter of Interest for 19-seater electric aircraft". Business Traveller. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
  12. ^ Chiland, Elijah (February 23, 2021). "Archer Aviation Plans Electric Air Taxis in LA by 2024". LA Business Journal.
  13. ^ Brown, Eliot (March 15, 2021). "Electric-Vehicle Startups Promise Record-Setting Revenue Growth". Wall Street Journal.
  14. ^ Griffith, Erin (March 19, 2021). "'The Market Seems Crazy': Start-Ups Wrestle With Flood of Offers". The New York Times.
  15. ^ Szymkowski, Sean (February 25, 2021). "Archer eVTOL startup partners with LA to launch flying taxis in 3 years". CNET.
  16. ^ a b c Pallini, Thomas (May 21, 2020). "A new urban air mobility startup has been operating in secret with aims to begin testing its own electric VTOL aircraft by 2021". Business Insider.
  17. ^ "Ahead of First Hover Flight, Maker Aircraft Receives FAA COA and Relocates from Development Lab to Flight Test Facility". Yahoo.com. November 10, 2021.
  18. ^ "Archer's Maker eVTOL receives special airworthiness certificate". evtol.com. December 5, 2021.
  19. ^ Patterson, Thom (December 20, 2021). "Archer Aviation's Air Taxi Prototype Completes First Hover Test". Flying Magazine.
  20. ^ Hirschberg, Mike (December 20, 2021). "Archer Hits Its Target". Vertical Flight Society.
  21. ^ Garsten, Ed (December 20, 2021). "Archer Electric VTOL Air Taxi Demo Passes Major Test".
  22. ^ Reichmann, Kelsey (September 9, 2021). "Archer Moves Toward Certification with G-1 Issue Paper from FAA". Aviation Today.
  23. ^ Reichmann, Kelsey (June 14, 2021). "Archer Debuts First eVTOL Demonstrator, Maker". Aviation Today.
  24. ^ a b "Archer Names Miami As Launch Market For UAM Network". Aviation Week Network. March 10, 2021.
  25. ^ "Archer's First UAM Network To Serve United Airlines Hub At LAX". Aviation Week & Space Technology. February 24, 2021.
  26. ^ "Archer to launch flying taxi network in LA by 2024". Fox Business. March 2, 2021.
  27. ^ Sedláček, Vojtěch (February 11, 2021). "Miliarda dolarů za 200 letounů budoucnosti. United Airlines nakoupí u Archer Aviation, který vstupuje na burzu". CzechCrunch.
  28. ^ Shieber, Jonathan (February 12, 2021). "With a reported deal in the wings for Joby Aviation, electric aircraft soars to $10B business". TechCrunch.
  29. ^ Bachmann, Daniel (February 25, 2021). "This New Zero-Emission Electric Air Taxi Will Be Flying Over LA in 3 Years". Robb Report.
  30. ^ Bogaisky, Jeremy (February 10, 2021). "Archer To Go Public In Reverse Merger As United Airlines Places Order For Its Electric Air Taxis To Shuttle Passengers To Airport". Forbes.
  31. ^ Huddleston Jr, Tom (March 7, 2021). "Joby Aviation is going public at a $6.6 billion valuation — take a look at its electric air taxi". CNBC.
  32. ^ Korosec, Kirsten (February 10, 2021). "Archer lands $1B order from United Airlines and a SPAC deal". TechCrunch.
  33. ^ a b Korosec, Kirsten (February 10, 2021). "Archer lands $1B order from United Airlines and a SPAC deal". University of Florida College of Engineering.
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