The aircraft—which take off vertically like a helicopter but cruise on fixed wings like an airplane—could begin flying passengers in the Big Apple as soon as next year.

Atlantic on Thursday said the chargers will be installed at its terminal at the East 34th Street Heliport (6N5) on the Manhattan waterfront, where the company this week agreed with the city’s Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) to extend its operations for the next five years.

The location is a hub for trips in and around New York City and handles flights for New York University’s Langone Health Center. And according to Atlantic, eVTOL manufacturers Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation—which have announced New York City as a launch market in partnership with Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, respectively—plan to use the site in the coming years.

To accommodate both companies’ air taxis, Atlantic will install combined charging system (CCS) and global electric aviation charging system (GEACS) chargers.

The CCS was originally designed as a standard for electric ground vehicles and has been widely endorsed—including by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), as well as Archer and other manufacturers—as the standard for eVTOL aircraft. Joby chose to develop its own system, GEACS, which like the CCS is billed as a universal charger for electric aircraft. The main difference is that CCS systems can also accommodate ground vehicles.

Atlantic said it is working with Joby, Archer, and a third partner, Beta Technologies, to ensure that all certified eVTOL models can land at the heliport as soon as they receive the FAA’s green light to begin flying passengers.

“Maintaining our presence at the East 34th Street Heliport and expanding infrastructure there to support eVTOL operations aligns with our commitment to community-beneficial transportation solutions and will support New York City on its journey to facilitating quiet and sustainable aviation operations,” said John Redcay, chief commercial and sustainability officer at Atlantic.

New York is already home to scheduled and on-demand helicopter services such as Blade Air Mobility. But eVTOL air taxi manufacturers promise a service that is faster and quieter.

Joby and Archer, through its Archer Air subsidiary, each own FAA Part 135 air carrier permissions and are in the thick of the type certification process. The companies intend to offer flights to and from local airports, including Newark Liberty International Airport (KEWR) and John F. Kennedy International Airport (KJFK), with eVTOL air taxis that can carry up to four passengers plus a pilot.

The zero-emission aircraft cruise at around 150 to 200 mph, charging in about 10-15 minutes for minimal downtime between flights. They are also significantly quieter than helicopters—NASA, for example, found that Joby’s air taxi produces about as much noise as a typical conversation at cruising altitude.

Joby earlier this month showcased its air taxi at New York’s Grand Central Terminal and last year performed the first eVTOL demonstration flights in the city, lifting off from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport (KJRB) as Mayor Eric Adams and other officials looked on. Adams after the event announced the city’s plans to electrify the heliport.

Joby and Delta, meanwhile, are working with the New York Port Authority and NYCEDC to build eVTOL infrastructure at JFK and LaGuardia International Airport (KLGA). According to the manufacturer, an air taxi flight from Manhattan to JFK would take about seven minutes compared to an hour-plus drive by car.

Archer, on the other hand, estimates a flight in its Midnight air taxi from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport to United’s terminal at Newark Liberty would take about 10 minutes, compared to more than an hour in rush hour traffic. The company will initially operate airport-to-city-center “trunk” routes before adding “branch” routes that connect wider communities.

“New York City is leading the way in embracing this exciting new technology…that will bring significant quality of life improvements for New Yorkers and new sustainable transportation,” said Andrew Kimball, president and CEO of NYCEDC. “NYCEDC looks forward to working with Atlantic Aviation in our continued partnership as they ready East 34th Street for quieter and greener helicopter alternatives.”

Archer and Joby claim their offerings will be akin to ground-based rideshare services such as Uber or Lyft. Joby, for example, recently unveiled an Uber-like software for pilots and riders, which autonomously assigns users a flight based on their desired origin, destination, and departure time. Through an integration, Joby riders will be able to book rides on the Uber platform and vice versa.

The companies also claim their services will be cost competitive with existing rideshare platforms. Both firms have appointed veterans of Uber Elevate—which ran the short-lived UberCopter service—to their leadership teams, which could help them learn from the failed service’s missteps.

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The space agency on Monday introduced the Airborne Instrumentation for Real-world Video of Urban Environments, or AIRVUE—a specially designed pod that attaches to the bottom of a helicopter and can train AAM aircraft to “see” obstacles in their path. The technology is designed to hone computer vision systems for autonomous flight.

Agency researchers in April conducted initial AIRVUE testing at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, attaching it to a piloted NASA helicopter to survey the environment.

“The computer algorithms that will enable the aircraft to sense the environment must be reliable and proven to work in many flight circumstances,” NASA said. “NASA data promises that fidelity, making this an important resource for industry.”

Developed and built at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, the pod is equipped with cameras and sensors to collect visual information on weather and other hazards, compiling them into a massive dataset that will be shared with AAM manufacturers.

In the space agency’s view, data collected independently by manufacturers is seldom shared with competitors. That creates fragmentation in an industry the U.S. hopes to one day lead.

“Data is the fuel for machine learning,” said Nelson Brown, lead NASA researcher for the AIRVUE project. “We hope to inspire innovation by providing the computer vision community with realistic flight scenarios. Accessible datasets have been essential to advances in driver aids and self-driving cars, but so far, we haven’t seen open datasets like this in aviation.”

The space agency said it plans to develop more pods that integrate with other aircraft once it refines and evaluates the Airvue design.

This is not NASA’s first foray into self-flying systems. In 2022, for instance, it contracted autonomous flight developer Xwing, which in June was acquired by electric air taxi firm Joby Aviation, to design a safety management system for uncrewed flight.

Joby is just one of the manufacturers collaborating with NASA under its AAM mission, which seeks to give commercial firms the data they need to safely integrate air taxis, drones, and other vehicles within the national airspace.

Also working with the agency are Boeing self-flying air taxi subsidiary Wisk Aero and Archer Aviation, which last year agreed to make Wisk the sole provider of autonomy systems for its flagship Midnight air taxi. Joby and Archer’s aircraft will fly with a pilot at launch, but both anticipate a move to uncrewed flight in the future.

NASA’s research with these companies has spanned everything from turbulence and noise to battery safety and simulated operations around busy U.S. airports. The space agency has also operated self-flying drones to further study automated AAM operations.

Drones operations are on the agenda too. This month, for example, NASA gathered representatives from the drone industry, police and fire departments, and FAA to help the regulator develop a rule for operations beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS) of the pilot.

In lieu of a final BVLOS regulation, the FAA awards these permissions via waiver. Lifting BVLOS restrictions is expected to greatly expand the service area for drone delivery by allowing operators to essentially manage their own airspace—with FAA supervision, of course.

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UAM manufacturers—many of them based in the U.S.—are developing electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis, electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) planes, and other outlandish aircraft with unique propulsion sources and flight characteristics. These companies have garnered billions in investments and the support of key airline partners, such as United Airlines and Delta Air Lines.

No market has been more welcoming, however, than the United Arab Emirates, UAM manufacturers told FLYING in April at the inaugural DriftX—a two-day event in Abu Dhabi that showcased the latest technology in air, land, and sea transportation.

“There’s nowhere on earth that’s been as positive or receptive to what we’re doing here,” said Nikhil Goel, chief commercial officer of eVTOL air taxi manufacturer Archer Aviation.

Help From Above

Archer and other manufacturers cited partnership opportunities with UAE leadership as a major draw for them to bring their services to the country. Goel said he personally has been visiting the UAE for about a decade, dating back to his time with Uber’s short-lived eVTOL venture, Uber Elevate. Even then, the government welcomed the idea of UAM with open arms.

“Back then it was a dream,” Goel said. “Today, it’s here.”

Archer and fellow eVTOL air taxi manufacturer Joby Aviation, which also has long-standing ties with Emirati leaders, hope to launch service in the UAE as early as 2025—the same year they expect their aircraft to begin operations in major U.S. cities, including New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. The companies claim these offerings will be cost-competitive with ground-based rideshare services, such as Uber or Lyft.

• READ MORE: Archer Bringing Electric Air Taxis to Los Angeles by 2026

Archer, Joby, and other manufacturers have signed agreements with UAE government and state-backed entities, including the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED), Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), and General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). Within them are incentives for hundreds of millions in funding to build ecosystems for eVTOL aircraft.

“There’s been a lot of interest in the region—both here in Abu Dhabi and in Dubai—in this idea of air taxis and what this type of flying mobility can do, for quite a while,” said Eric Allison, chief product officer of Joby.

Chinese manufacturer EHang—which in October achieved the world’s first eVTOL air taxi type certification—and electric seaglider manufacturer Regent Craft are also working with UAE government and state-backed organizations.

“You see what the region is doing with the eVTOLs, with mobility, with building and construction in general…and we’ve only felt supported,” said Billy Thalheimer, CEO of Regent.

Archer, Joby, EHang, Regent, and others have joined Abu Dhabi’s Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industry (SAVI) cluster—a collection of government-backed research and development, testing, and manufacturing facilities within the city. Already, several of them have committed to produce aircraft within SAVI.

Abdulla Al Marzouqi, director general of Abu Dhabi’s Integrated Transport Center—an affiliate of the Emirate’s Department of Municipalities and Transport—said UAE leaders believe UAM technology will be widespread in the future. They’re looking to get ahead of the curve by attracting both manufacturers and private investors.

• READ MORE: Joby Applies for Air Taxi Certification in Australia

Al Marzouqi said the UAE has made climate policy a priority, creating a favorable regulatory environment for UAM companies. The country aims to achieve net-zero emissions across all industries by 2050, with regulations around renewable energies such as green hydrogen already in place.

Henry Hooi, CEO of eSTOL manufacturer Volar Air Mobility—which in April announced its plans to fly in the UAE—said these policies make the country “a fantastic hub for the potential development of green aviation in the region.”

Long term, Al Marzouqi said the government intends to enact UAM regulations across the Emirates. In the meantime, it will continue to invest in existing transportation technologies to bridge the gap as eVTOL air taxis and other outlandish aircraft come online.

The strategy so far has garnered results. In April, ADIO unveiled the UAE’s first operational vertiport, a temporary installation at DriftX. Vertiports, akin to heliports, are designed to accommodate eVTOL and other electric aircraft with infrastructure such as charging stations. The country also hosted the Middle East’s first passenger-carrying eVTOL demo in May, completed by EHang.

Sooner Rather Than Later

UAE leaders have an urgency to deploy eVTOL and other novel aircraft “sooner [rather] than later,” said Allison, which is an attractive proposition for UAM manufacturers.

Both Joby and Archer, for example, claim they will be ready to fly in the country by 2025—the year they expect to obtain FAA type certification. Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, director general of the GCAA, said in October that his agency expects to approve Archer air taxi flights as soon as the company secures the equivalent authorization in the U.S.

Archer CEO Adam Goldstein earlier this year told Aerospace America, “In the UAE, they can make decisions much different than what the regulators here can do.”

• READ MORE: Minnesota’s ‘Jetson Law’ Green-Lights Flying Cars on Roads

Goel told FLYING: “I think it’s really about the attitude. [In the UAE], everyone says, ‘How fast can we get here? What can we do to help?’ There’s nowhere else in the world that’s got that sort of attitude.”

Set Up for Success

Certification is top of mind for UAE leaders. But a massive chunk of the government’s investment is going toward preparing the nation’s infrastructure for an influx of UAM aircraft.

Al Marqouzi said the idea is to set companies up for success by installing vertiports, electric chargers, and other infrastructure before the aircraft begin flying. He said the country is already building a network of electric aircraft charging stations, for example.

In December 2022, the UAE government agreed to a three-year, $40 million investment to build a UAM flight testing and development hub in partnership with VPorts. The same month, it published what it believes to be the world’s first national vertiport regulations. 

In February 2023, Dubai crown prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum approved plans to develop a nationwide vertiport network by 2026. Construction on the nation’s first fully operational vertiport at Ras Al Khaimah International Airport (OMRK), led by VPorts, is already underway. Another partner, Skyports, is building a site at Dubai International Airport (OMDB).

• READ MORE: Archer Agrees to Potential Air Taxi Sale Worth $580M

U.S. manufacturers are also working directly with these vertiport companies. Joby, for example, is collaborating with Skyports to design, build, and operate three additional vertiport sites in Dubai. Archer and partner Falcon have a similar arrangement, covering locations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

“We need there to be lots of places to take off and land,” said Allison. “And the key to making that possible is to make the infrastructure rapidly deployable and very economical…We’re working on designs for modular infrastructure with integrated ground support equipment that can be very rapidly and efficiently and economically deployed to retrofit existing infrastructure in places like parking garages.”

Dubai and Abu Dhabi, for example, have a combined 350 helipads, according to Archer. By simply installing aircraft charging equipment, those sites could become UAM hubs.

“There’s already a lot of existing infrastructure all over the country in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi,” said Goel. “And so as we look at that, we say, ‘A’, we can use that existing infrastructure to our benefit, and ‘B’, there’s a lot of opportunity to build new infrastructure.”

However, Allison acknowledged that there remains “a lot of work that needs to be done to build the ecosystem.”

Market Potential

Beyond the obvious benefits of government support and investment, UAM companies are enticed by the UAE for several reasons.

One unstated reason may be the prevalence of wealth. While Archer, Joby, and other players bill their services as affordable, it could take time for them to become accessible to the average consumer. And the UAE, despite a population composed largely of migrant workers, ranks sixth in the world in GDP per capita. In other words, the country has plenty of premium customers.

“Everyone I’ve talked to here is just salivating at the prospect of being able to get from downtown Dubai to downtown Abu Dhabi in 30 minutes,” said Allison, who noted the UAE’s “incredible economic growth.”

Thalheimer said that Regent was drawn to the country by “a combination of geography, market demands, and then sort of a pro-business and forward leaning approach on innovation and mobility.”

He characterized the UAE as a massive market in the geographical center of the Eastern Hemisphere, rife with coastal population centers. For manufacturers with global ambitions, such as Regent, establishing a presence in such a location can aid in expansion.

“I know that the UAE is going to lead the way,” said Goel. “I know we’re going to be in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and all across the seven emirates. We see an opportunity to scale hundreds of vehicles across the country, and then take what we learn here and spread it all across the Middle East.” 

This feature first appeared in the July/August Issue 949 of the FLYING print edition.

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The agreement, signed last August with AFWERX, the Air Force’s innovation arm, will allow Air Force pilots to gauge the aircraft’s usefulness for defense operations and could be leveraged by other military branches.

“Together, our goal is to prove Midnight’s potential and ensure the United States continues to lead the way with the world’s most advanced technology,” said Adam Goldstein, founder and CEO of Archer.

Archer’s Midnight is a piloted, zero-emission model designed to carry up to four passengers on 20-to-50 sm (17-to-43 nm) trips, cruising at about 130 knots. The manufacturer is selling the aircraft to airlines and other operator customers who intend to use it for home-to-airport services, round-trip tourism routes, and other flights largely handled by helicopters.

The military, however, will get its hands on Midnight first. Defense leaders are drawn to the aircraft’s unique combination of vertical takeoff and landing capability and low noise profile.

“Archer’s Midnight aircraft has the potential to significantly enhance our operational capabilities,” said Colonel Elliott Leigh, director of AFWERX and chief commercialization officer for the Air Force.

The U.S. Department of Defense earlier this month accepted the aircraft’s military airworthiness assessment, “a critical approval that confirms Midnight’s readiness for flight testing by AFWERX,” Archer said.

According to the company, Air Force personnel were on-site for the inaugural Midnight delivery and have already performed simulations of medical evacuation, cargo, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) flights.

The military’s interest in eVTOL designs is not limited to Archer.

Competitor Joby Aviation, for example, has its own multimillion-dollar contract with AFWERX for the delivery of nine aircraft, one of which arrived at Edwards Air Force Base in California last year. Electric aircraft manufacturer Beta Technologies is also working closely with the Air Force and has already conducted what it describes as “real-world” missions.

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The company on Tuesday said it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Future Flight Global (FFG), a startup that plans to operate eVTOL and other advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft, for the planned sale of as many as 116 air taxis.

The deal is worth up to $580 million, or about $5 million per aircraft.

“As our first private aviation partner, and with their deep ties in aviation and bold approach, FFG is positioned to be a new leader in modern aviation,” said Andrew Cummins, director of business development at Archer.

FFG was founded by former executives of business jet operator Titan Aviation, including former CEO Karam Singh, who now serves as chief executive for the AAM startup. According to Archer, FFG and Titan have a joint venture under which they will fly AAM aircraft worldwide, including in the U.S., Europe, Middle East, and Southeast Asia.

Archer’s Midnight, a zero-emission, four-passenger design, could be one of the first aircraft in the companies’ fleet. The air taxi is designed to fly 10-to-20-minute trips covering 20 to 50 sm, charging for only a few minutes between flights.

Archer on Monday said the agreement with FFG brings its conditional order book total for Midnight to almost $6 billion, which includes a billion-dollar order from United Airlines for 100 aircraft.

FFG made an unspecified initial deposit as part of the MOU, which also sets terms for a predelivery payment of $5 million to be paid once agreement is complete. That will be contingent on the partners settling on a final purchase order and charting a strategic operating alliance.

What is known is that FFG will operate a handful of routes within Archer’s planned air taxi network, which will include electrified vertical takeoff and landing sites—or vertiports—at terminals operated by FBO networks Signature Aviation and Atlantic Aviation. It will also work with new infrastructure partners to set the stage for service in other Archer markets, which could include the United Arab Emirates and South Korea.

“To support these plans, Archer and FFG will work together on ecosystem development, infrastructure, regulatory engagement, and demand generation,” Archer said.

FFG will use Midnight to offer on-demand flights to an array of private customers, including corporations, hotels, governments, and high net worth individuals.

“Midnight’s versatility makes it well-suited to diverse routes and mission profiles, while also providing a world-class experience and operational efficiency that’s attractive to our corporate clients,” said Singh.

Archer intends to launch home-to-airport air taxi routes with United in 2025 and Southwest Airlines in 2026. But other services such as business transport and aerial tourism are also part of the company’s plans.

Last week, for example, the manufacturer announced it is working with the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams to build exclusive vertiports near the Rams’ SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

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The company on Thursday announced it intends to launch a city center-to-airport network in Los Angeles by 2026, building on its plans to fly in New York City and Chicago. The service is meant to replace one-to-two-hour drives by car with more direct aerial routes while remaining cost competitive with ground-based rideshare options such as Uber and Lyft.

Archer in July also struck a deal with Southwest Airlines to connect Southwest terminals across California, where it is in the process of building a network of hubs linking South San Francisco, Napa, San Jose, Oakland, and Livermore.

The manufacturer’s flagship Midnight air taxi is designed for a pilot to fly as many as four passengers on back-to-back, 20-to-50 sm, 10-to-20-minute trips, with only a few minutes of charge time in between. The company hopes to obtain type certification from the FAA in time for a 2025 commercial rollout in New York and Chicago.

After that, it will set its sights on Los Angeles, where it intends to connect key locations such as Los Angeles International Airport (KLAX), Orange County, Santa Monica, Hollywood Burbank, Long Beach, Van Nuys, and the University of Southern California with vertiports. These takeoff and landing hubs are akin to heliports but will include electric aircraft chargers for Midnight and other electric aircraft to juice up.

Archer also has a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with FBO network Signature Aviation to install electric chargers at more than 200 Signature terminals nationwide, adding to the number of potential takeoff and landing sites for Midnight.

Archer competitor Joby Aviation is also looking to fly in the Los Angeles area in partnership with Delta Air Lines and earlier this year began the process of installing eVTOL infrastructure in California. Boeing air taxi subsidiary Wisk Aero, eVTOL jet manufacturer Lilium, and eVTOL developer Overair are among firms with similar ambitions.

The companies hope to showcase their aircraft on the world stage when the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles arrive— an ambitious target but one that is in line with the FAA’s own expectations for the industry. The city will also host men’s soccer games during the 2026 World Cup, which is being jointly held in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

“Establishing our LA network ahead of the global events that are coming to the region over the next three years is a milestone that will put Midnight on display for the whole world to see,” said Adam Goldstein, CEO of Archer. “LA is known for its horrendous traffic—our goal is to offer a safer, faster, and more sustainable alternative travel option.”

A handful of eVTOL manufacturers, including Germany’s Volocopter and China’s AutoFlight, are supposed to demonstrate their air taxis at the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, but those flights have yet to take place and may not happen at all.

Aiding Archer, however, is a tight relationship with the FAA and the backing of California state officials such as Governor Gavin Newsom.

“Homegrown companies like Archer Aviation are pioneering the next generation of zero-emission transportation that will help California cut pollution, clean our air, and reduce traffic,” said Newsom.

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On Friday, Southwest and Archer Aviation, manufacturer of the Midnight electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to develop a network of routes connecting Southwest terminals at California airports.

The airline is the state’s largest air carrier and owns key hubs in Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento, and the San Francisco Bay Area, where Archer recently announced plans to construct eVOL infrastructure, such as takeoff and landing vertiports, at five airports.

Archer’s flagship aircraft, which takes off and lands like a helicopter but flies on fixed wings like an airplane, is designed for a pilot to fly as many as four passengers on 20 to 50 sm (17 to 43 nm) air taxi routes, cruising at up to 150 mph (130 knots).

As soon as next year, it will begin ferrying customers to and from airports at a price the manufacturer claims will be cost-competitive with ground-based rideshare services such as Uber or Lyft.

“Integrating Archer’s electric aircraft into the travel journey potentially gives us an innovative opportunity to enhance the experience of flying Southwest,” said Paul Cullen, vice president of real estate for the airline.

Cullen also left the door open for an expansion of Southwest’s air taxi service to locations in other states.

Added Dee Dee Meyers, senior adviser to California Governor Gavin Newson and director of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development: “This initiative is designed to help revolutionize clean transportation with zero-direct emission and affordable options, enhancing the passenger experience, and supporting California’s climate action goals.”

The agreement with Southwest builds on Archer’s existing relationship with United Airlines, which in 2021 agreed to purchase 100 Midnight air taxis for an estimated $1 billion. Under that agreement, Archer will develop a software platform, mobile booking platform, and vertiport integration technology for a commercial service operated by United.

Delta Air Lines, the third major U.S. carrier with plans to launch an air taxi network, is working with Archer competitor Joby Aviation.

In addition, Archer in June signed a deal with Signature Aviation that would give it access to more than 200 FBOs, including those at New York Liberty International Airport (KEWR), Chicago O’Hare International Airport (KORD), and other airports the company intends to serve. The manufacturer also has an agreement with FBO network operator Atlantic Aviation to electrify Atlantic terminals in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and San Francisco.

“With Archer’s Midnight aircraft, passengers will be able to fly above traffic to get to the airport faster,” said Nikhil Goel, chief commercial officer of Archer. “Southwest customers could someday complete door-to-door trips like Santa Monica [California] to Napa in less than three hours.”

Archer and Southwest will begin by developing a concept of operations for Midnight out of Southwest terminals, partnering with airline employees and union groups such as the Southwest Airlines Pilot Association (SWAPA).

The companies “plan to collaborate over the next few years as eVTOLs take flight,” which does not commit them to a 2025 or 2026 launch. Archer, Joby, and other eVTOL manufacturers such as Beta Technologies and Overair intend to enter commercial service during that time frame.

Adding Southwest as a partner could be key for Archer when considering the activities of its competitor overseas.

Both firms plan to fly in the United Arab Emirates, including the cities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. In February, however, Joby signed what it describes as an exclusive six-year deal with Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority, giving it the sole right to operate an air taxi service in the emirate. Archer CEO Adam Goldstein has disputed the exclusivity of the agreement, saying it will have no impact on the company’s plans.

That dynamic has not yet played out in the U.S.—both companies plan to fly in New York, for example. But if Joby intends to replicate the strategy of gaining an edge over competitors with exclusive deals, partnerships such as that with Southwest become more important.

Notably, the companies have also butt heads on eVTOL infrastructure. Each is pushing for a different electric aircraft charging system to become the industry standard, similar to how Elon Musk fought for Tesla’s North American Charging Standard to supplant the widely accepted Combined Charging Standard (CCS) for electric ground vehicles (a fight Tesla ultimately would win).

Similarly, Joby wants its Global Electric Aviation Charging System (GEACS) to replace a modified version of the CSS supported by Archer, Beta, and others, which could throw a wrench into their FBO electrification plans.

Among eVTOL manufacturers, Archer and Joby are the closest to being able to fly in the U.S. Each has achieved a full transition flight using a prototype air taxi and expects to begin the critical for-credit phase of FAA certification in the coming months.

In addition, both are qualified to perform eVTOL maintenance and repairs and are in the process of training an initial group of pilots to fly their respective aircraft.

The goal is for those activities to be complete in time for a 2025 launch. Whether Southwest will be a part of that occasion remains to be seen.

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Archer’s flagship design, Midnight, is built for a pilot to fly as many as four passengers on 20 to 50 sm (17 to 43 nm) routes, cruising at 130 knots and charging for just a few minutes between trips. The manufacturer’s goal is to compete against ground-based ridehailing services such as Uber or Lyft with a comparably priced offering.

In the Bay Area, the company will work with real estate giant Kilroy Realty Corp. The partners signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to make the 50-acre Kilroy Oyster Point waterfront campus in South San Francisco the anchor of Archer’s planned network.

Archer and Kilroy will look to build a vertiport at Oyster Point, connecting it with routes to Napa, San Jose, Oakland, and Livermore.

“We’re thrilled to collaborate with Kilroy on developing infrastructure to support Archer’s air mobility service and laying the foundation for a robust network of landing sites throughout the Bay Area,” said Bryan Bernhard, chief growth and infrastructure officer for Archer.

The manufacturer says it already has relationships with infrastructure and operations providers in those cities. One of its two main FBO partners, Atlantic Aviation, has hubs in Napa and San Jose. The other, Signature Aviation—which earlier this week agreed to install Archer electric aircraft chargers at 200 of its locations—also has a site in San Jose and another in Oakland.

Interestingly, Livermore Municipal Airport (KLVK), that city’s sole airfield, has no scheduled airline service and is designated as a regional reliever airport. Five Rivers Aviation, which operates a full-service FBO at the airport, appears to be Archer’s partner there.

San Francisco International Airport (KSFO), meanwhile, is a hub for Archer partner and investor United Airlines. The companies plan to launch routes in Chicago and New York City, also hub airports, by 2025.

In addition to constructing a vertiport at Oyster Point, Archer and Kilroy intend to create what Archer dubs “Sea Portal”—a renewable energy-powered development that offers both eVTOL and electric ferry services for all companies at the waterfront hub. According to the manufacturer, the facility could come online by the end of next year. Looking ahead, the partners will explore expansions to other Kilroy sites.

“We believe that this innovative and sustainable service has the potential to provide exceptional convenience and optionality to current and future tenants at the project, further differentiating Kilroy Oyster Point within the South San Francisco market,” said Angela Aman, CEO of Kilroy.

Archer began building the first Midnight production prototypes, which it will use to complete type certification evaluations with the FAA, in February. The aircraft received its final airworthiness criteria from the FAA in May and completed its first transition from hover to forward flight the following month during a remotely piloted test.

In June, Archer became one of just two eVTOL manufacturers to earn FAA Part 135 air carrier permissions, the other being competitor Joby Aviation.

It expects to install electric charging stations at Atlantic FBO locations in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Miami by next year, followed by similar infrastructure at as many as 200 Signature FBOs. Newark Liberty International Airport (KEWR) in New Jersey, Chicago O’Hare (KORD) International Airport, and KSFO—the bases of operations for Archer’s New York, Chicago, and Bay Area services—are all part of Signature’s network.

The company also intends to add electric chargers to planned air taxi hubs in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, which is shaping up to be its initial overseas launch market.

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Archer on Wednesday announced its subsidiary, Archer Air, received an FAA Part 135 air carrier and operator certificate, authorizing it to operate as a commercial airline as Midnight advances toward type certification. The manufacturer anticipates it will achieve that milestone next year. In the meantime, it plans on using its Part 135 approval to fly conventional aircraft “to refine its systems and procedures in advance of launching Midnight into service for airlines like United Airlines,” which in 2021 agreed to purchase $1 billion worth of Archer aircraft.

“Over my career, I’ve helped lead the buildout of JetBlue and Breeze Airways, and now that Archer has its Part 135 and 145 certificates from the FAA, I’m thrilled for our incredible team to commence operations on this innovative new air taxi service soon,” said Tom Anderson, chief operating officer of Archer Air.

The Part 135 certification process comprised five stages, Archer said. The manufacturer was required to submit operational manuals and procedures to the FAA, and company pilots demonstrated compliance with those materials under agency observation.

“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,” said Adam Goldstein, founder and CEO of Archer.

Archer’s flagship Midnight is a zero-emission model designed for a pilot to fly as many as four passengers on 20 to 50 sm (17 to 43 nm) air taxi routes, cruising at up to 150 mph (130 knots). The air taxi is intended to be cost competitive with ground-based rideshare services such as Uber or Lyft, replacing lengthy commutes with 10-to-20-minute flights, while producing significantly less noise than a helicopter.

Archer is one of just two eVTOL air taxi manufacturers to receive Part 135 permissions from the FAA, the other being competitor Joby Aviation. Joby, which unlike Archer intends to operate its own aircraft in the U.S., obtained its authorization in 2022.

Archer will have a hand to play in United’s operation of Midnight, though.

The company is developing a proprietary operations software platform, mobile booking platform, and technology that will integrate with vertiports, all of which will be essential to a commercial service. Now, it can begin to refine those platforms using conventional aircraft.

With Wednesday’s announcement, Archer now holds Part 135 and Part 145 certification, the latter of which authorizes it to perform select maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services. But Midnight won’t be able to fly commercially until it achieves type certification, which would validate the aircraft’s design, and production certification, which will allow Archer to begin producing the type-certified model.

The manufacturer has already begun building three type-conforming Midnight air taxis to be used in crewed flight testing later this year. For-credit evaluations with the FAA will follow and represent one of the most critical steps in the type certification process.

The agency in May awarded Archer final airworthiness criteria for Midnight, which laid out the standards it will use to gauge the aircraft’s ability to integrate safely into the national airspace. Competitor Joby is the only other eVTOL manufacturer to reach that step with the regulator, obtaining its own criteria one month prior.

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The United Airlines partner and Kakao Mobility Corp.—a subsidiary of South Korean conglomerate Kakao which runs Kakao T, a popular taxi-hailing service akin to Uber in the U.S.—signed an agreement that covers the latter’s planned purchase and operation of up to 50 aircraft as early as 2026, beginning in Seoul.

The manufacturer estimates the value of the potential sale, including predelivery payments it expects to receive next year, at about $250 million. Kakao Mobility last year signed a similar agreement with U.K. eVTOL manufacturer Vertical Aerospace.

The taxi-hailing company has also tapped Archer as its eVTOL partner for Korea’s K-UAM Grand Challenge: a multicity, public-private effort to demonstrate eVTOL operations, with an eye toward commercializing those services by 2025. Kakao Mobility will pay Archer a first installment of $7 million this year, followed by a second installment in January, to support the effort. The partners expect to complete a public demonstration later this year.

“We are committed to revolutionizing transportation with Archer’s eVTOL aircraft, ushering in a future of cleaner, faster, and more efficient travel between and within Korean cities,” said Nikhil Goel, chief commercial officer for Archer.

According to Korea’s transport ministry, commuters in the Seoul Capital Area—which, with a population of a quarter of a million people, is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world and home to half the country’s population—typically spend about 90 minutes per day stuck in traffic.

Archer promises to replace those commutes with estimated 10- to 20-minute air taxi flights, charging for just a few minutes in between. The manufacturer’s five-seat eVTOL is designed for four passengers and a pilot, with a range of about 52 sm (45 nm) and cruise speed of 130 knots.

It claims the aircraft will be cost-competitive with ground-based rideshare services such as Uber, Lyft, and Kakao T, which according to Kakao Mobility has more than 30 million registered users, many of them Seoul.

“The vision is clear—reduce the hours lost in traffic and elevate everyday travel with an electric air taxi service that features Archer’s Midnight aircraft,” said Christopher SungWook Chang, senior vice president of Kakao Mobility.

However, the partners—and the South Korean government—have ambitions to introduce air taxi flights nationwide.

The country’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport in 2021 unveiled the K-UAM Operation Concept 1.0: a blueprint, similar to the FAA’s Innovate28, to commercialize urban air mobility (UAM) services by 2025. Initial flights would be piloted and take place on predefined routes in cities such as Seoul and Incheon, with nationwide introduction of fully autonomous air taxi flights by 2035.

Before then, the government is conducting the K-UAM Grand Challenge to validate the technology.

Kakao Mobility and a consortium that includes electric vehicle charging service LG Uplus, vertiport developer GS Engineering & Construction (GS E&C), and now Archer will be one of three consortiums to participate in public demonstrations under the effort, which seeks to garner public support for UAM services.

One group, which includes flag carrier Korean Air, Hyundai Motor Co., and Korea Telecom, completed the initiative’s first UAM operations demonstration in April. Archer and Kakao Mobility have set a target for their first public demonstration later this year.

Archer through the consortium will also work with regulators to create standards around eVTOL certification and operation. With the help of LG Uplus and GS E&C, the partners plan to construct vertiports, air traffic management systems, and other infrastructure to build a UAM ecosystem in Korea.

Archer competitor Joby Aviation is also part of the K-UAM Grand Challenge and expects to begin demonstration flights this year. The manufacturer in September partnered with SK Telecom—which is supporting it with $100 million in funding—to join a consortium that includes Korea Airports Corporation and Hanwha Systems.

Germany’s Volocopter was the first manufacturer to complete a crewed public eVTOL demonstration in the country in 2021, while California-based Overair last year signed several agreements with Korean partners, including a potential direct sale. Embraer eVTOL subsidiary Eve Air Mobility is also in the mix, having signed an agreement with UAM service provider Moviation for the purchase of its urban air traffic management system.

Beyond South Korea, Archer is looking to introduce Midnight in India, the United Arab Emirates, and U.S. cities such as New York and Chicago.

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