Archer, a Californian electric air taxi developer backed by Stellantis, has been granted certification by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to begin commercial flight operations. This certification marks a significant milestone for Archer as it prepares to launch its electric vertical-take-off-and-landing (eVTOL) aircraft, the series eVTOL Midnight, for commercial use.
While the series eVTOL Midnight is not yet certified for commercial operations, Archer plans to utilize conventional aircraft, without specifying the type, to leverage its mobile booking application, vertiport technology integrations, and proprietary operations software platform, all of which are currently under development.
Archer’s immediate focus will be on operating public demonstration flights of its aircraft in Korea later this year and engaging with regulators to develop certification and operational standards. In the USA, Archer is collaborating with aviation service provider Atlantic Aviation and two other electric air taxi developers to establish charging stations for eVTOLs at airports, initially focusing on New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Miami.
Adam Goldstein, Founder, and CEO of Archer expressed his enthusiasm for the certification, stating, “We are honoured 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. 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.”
Archer aims to revolutionize urban travel by replacing 60–90-minute car commutes with estimated 10–20-minute electric air taxi flights. The company’s piloted, four-passenger aircraft is designed to perform rapid back-to-back flights with minimal charge time between flights, offering a transformative transportation solution for urban commuters.
