We recently reported on Archer Aviation’s plan to establish an air-taxi network in India as part of a growing effort by US eVTOL makers to expand beyond their own borders.
Archer Aviation has now entered a partnership with Signature Aviation which will permit their pilotless aircraft at its private terminals.
San Jose’s Archer Aviation has partnered with Signature Aviation, which will support United Airlines at its major hubs, such as Newark and Chicago O’Hare. The move will enhance the world’s largest private aviation terminals, with Archer’s pilotless planes serving major American metropolitan cities. The partnership could see passengers collected from a private Manhattan aviation terminal, shuttled to the apron at Newark Liberty International Airport, and boarding a trans-continental flight within minutes.
Signature Aviation, the world’s largest operator of private aviation terminals, will permit Archer to access its takeoff and landing sites in many major cities, including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and multiple locations across Texas. Archer and Signature will partner with Beta Technologies as part of the partnership. This Vermont company will install rapid recharging systems across Signature’s terminal to electrify and enable the launch next year.
Bryan Bernhard, chief growth and infrastructure officer at Archer, weighed in on the latest announcement as reported by IOT Today:
“We 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.”
FAA Approval
Archer Aviation most recently received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to start commercially operating electric aerial vehicles. The Part 135 Air Carrier and Operator certificate will allow Archer to establish procedures and systems similar to those of commercial airlines.
The news means that Archer and its partnership with Signature and United Airlines will be able to transport passengers to and from the airports to which the electric aircraft’s type certification is received. Archer and United announced their partnership last year and are looking to pursue a commercial operation in sync. Archer has been robust in its expansion plans, more recently signing an agreement with KakoaMobility in South Korea, where they have purchased 50 Archer Midnight aircraft at a value exceeding $250 million. The Korean deal will see flying taxi flights offered to users on its Kakao T Mobile app from 2026.
Taking to The Air Instead of the Road
Archer’s vision is to replace hour-long car rides across the city with short 10-20-minute flights to get you to your destination. A variant of Archer’s aircraft, the Midnight, will be able to carry four passengers, with a range of up to 50 miles and just 10 minutes of battery charge required between flights.
Last year, Archer received a $215 million investment from various organizations, including Boeing, United Airlines, ARK Investment Management, and Stellantis, totaling $1.1 billion in funding thus far as part of the program. A manufacturing facility is already being built in Georgia, with an aim to build up to 650 EAV per year.
