The skies have become ours. No longer confined to a vision, nor relegated to the realm of “what if,” we are pushing further into what can be. In this year of historic milestones for Archer, it draws to a close with our journey taking us higher. Maker has successfully completed its first hover test flight a little over six months after being unveiled, and with it we begin a new chapter. Our world-class team has demonstrated the ability to eclipse the speed of traditional developmental timelines in aviation and we will be working hard to continue that pace as we move into 2022. Let’s look at what's next.
We began with a concept. We examined what it meant to move, what kept us grounded. How could we travel more freely, more sustainably, and perhaps most importantly, more safely? We drew upon the knowledge of the past and built our team with those intent on expanding the boundaries of what is possible and commercializing our vision. We planned, designed, and tested. And then we tested again. Setting out not just to create another option, but instead a new era.
Flying Ahead
Now Archer is a flying company. Throughout the next year we will continue to test, rigorously evaluating our first full scale electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Our team will be continuing to fly Maker as we move through 2022, rapidly collecting data and methodically pushing towards further expeditions. Every system will be monitored, analyzed under the most strenuous conditions, and further refined. We will see Maker expand its hover testing and eventually move into forward flight testing, and with it, see a slew of additional developmental advancements.
Setting Standards
These tests and developmental advancements of Maker will help us progress further down the path towards full FAA Type Certification of our production aircraft. In 2022, we will set our sights on receiving our G-2 issue paper, which will set forth the means of compliance with the regulatory requirements established in our G-1 issue paper signed in September 2021. This is the next major step in the certification journey with the FAA. Through shared knowledge, exhaustive research, and further proof of concept, our dedication to establishing the foundation of safety is unwavering. From independent propulsion, to individual battery packs, to multiple redundant flight systems, we are aiming to achieve the highest standards of safety with our eVTOL aircraft. Driving to go beyond merely meeting the minimum, we are working towards mobility that’s as safe as it can be.
Urban Air Mobility
We’re aiming to deliver mobility that’s as efficient as it can be. In parallel with our eVTOL aircraft development, we are continuing our work on establishing urban air mobility (UAM) infrastructure, which is equally important in making UAM a reality. Through Prime Radiant (TM), our proprietary system simulation framework, we are continuing to advance our knowledge of urban travel patterns. It’s helping us create more advanced data modeling and more intelligent solutions to the issues our modern urban environments face.
Our partnerships will continue to propel us towards the future. With the knowledge of how we move today, we can better design how we move in a new dimension tomorrow. Progressing with partner cities, our work towards the development of a network of vertiports carries on. We intend to repurpose underutilized existing infrastructure to serve as initial vertiports, which enhances the investments already made in our communities. Their development is key to the advancement of UAM, and vital on our journey to revolutionize the way we move.
Our vision ventures ever closer to reality. Capping the year with our historic first hover test flight merely sets the stage for what will come next. There is still much ahead on our roadmap, more milestones to be met and more history to make. This coming year will not only see us move forward, it will see the bar set higher. We’re grateful for those who’ve joined us along this journey, and we can’t wait to share the next chapter with you.
