Archer Aviation Marks Series of Milestones: FAA Pilot Academy Certification, Anduril Defense Partnership, and eVTOL Airworthiness Progress
Why It MattersRegulatory and commercial progress across pilot training, defense and Type Certification tracks positions eVTOL developers to compete for both military and urban air mobility markets.
Archer Aviation has logged a series of regulatory and commercial milestones across its eVTOL and defense programs. On February 18, 2025, the company received Part 141 certification from the FAA, authorizing it to operate a formally regulated pilot training academy. In December 2024, Archer entered an exclusive partnership with Anduril Industries to develop a hybrid VTOL aircraft for military applications, following an additional $430 million raised in funding.
On September 25, 2023, Archer's Midnight eVTOL aircraft reached a record altitude of 7,000 feet during a test flight from its Salinas, California facility, part of the company's flight-envelope expansion program. In May 2024, the FAA issued final airworthiness criteria for the Midnight aircraft, advancing it toward Type Certification; Archer said it was one of only two eVTOL developers globally to have reached that stage.
On the commercial side, Archer and KakaoMobility announced in May 2024 that KakaoMobility plans to purchase up to 50 Midnight aircraft valued at approximately $250 million, with public flight demonstrations in South Korea planned as early as Q4 2024 as part of the K-UAM Grand Challenge. In March 2024, Archer announced a partnership with Falcon Aviation to build a vertiport network in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, targeting eVTOL operations in the UAE by 2025. Archer has also announced a manufacturing partnership with Stellantis and collaborations with NASA and Atlantic Aviation, and competes in the urban air mobility market against ground-based alternatives and existing aircraft and helicopter charter operators.
