Archer Aviation’s electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) demonstrator Maker has completed its first hover flight, marking the company’s first full and complete systems validation.
“The past six months have been an incredible journey, from unveiling Maker to watching it take its first flight,” said Brett Adcock, Archer co-founder and co-CEO. “It’s been humbling to build a leading eVTOL company and educate the public on clean transportation alternatives.”
Archer’s Maker demonstrator is an autonomous two-seater eVTOL vehicle that has been certified for flight testing by the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The next step is to test Maker’s capabilities of forward flying.
While expanding Maker’s test flights, Archer also plans to unveil its piloted, four-seat production-intent aircraft in 2023. Maker will be capable of flying up to a 60-mile range (96 kilometers) reaching a cruising speed of 150 miles per hour (240 kilometers per hour).
Archer Aviation plans to launch the electric aircraft in late 2024 for initial services in Los Angeles and Miami, the United States, after the vehicle is certified by the FAA for commercial operations.
“With our first hover flight now completed, we’re one major step closer to that goal and have proven that Archer can work at a fast pace without sacrificing safety or quality,” Adam Goldstein, Archer co-founder and co-CEO, said.