Archer Aviation works with USAF on Maker eVTOL aircraft

Archer Aviation (Palo Alto, Calif., U.S.) has an agreement with the United States Air Force (USAF) to work together to explore the technical readiness and suitability of its composite all-electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, Maker, for USAF purposes. Archer is also working towards achieving FAA Type Certification for its eVTOL.

Archer will provide the USAF and the AFWERX Agility Prime Office with data from upcoming flight tests to further the USAF’s understanding of its eVTOL capabilities, systems and development progression. The USAF will use flight testing information to look at the potential to purchase and field them in the next three years.

AFWERX Agility Prime is a training program designed to accelerating the commercial market for advanced air mobility (AAM) vehicles. The partnership will conduct airworthiness testing for Archer’s Maker aircraft which is due to start flight testing in the coming months.

“We're honored to be working with the United States Air Force to explore the potential applications of eVTOL aircraft in the coming years,” says Adam Goldstein, co-founder and co-CEO of Archer, “as we continue to progress toward our mission of ushering in the next era of sustainable urban air mobility.”

“Partnerships like this will enable the USAF to work closely with the designers and engineers behind the groundbreaking new technologies that are making eVTOL flight a reality,” concludes Colonel Diller of the USAF. “We believe that eVTOL aircraft represent a great leap forward in aerospace and we're excited to be working on this new era of sustainable transportation.”