California-based Archer, a company designing and developing electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL), today announced its commitment to launching an Urban Air Mobility (UAM) network in Miami by 2024. Archer is excited to explore the potential for UAM to address some of Southern Florida’s mobility challenges and provide a new option for people to travel more freely in and around dense metropolitan areas.
Archer’s UAM platform will move people throughout cities in a fast, safe, sustainable, and cost-effective manner. The fully electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft is expected to travel distances of up to 60 miles at 150 mph using technology available today, transforming how people approach everyday life, work, and adventure, while benefiting the environment and working towards a future zero-emissions world. Archer’s recently announced merger with Atlas Crest Investment Corporation (NYSE: ACIC) and a $1bn commercial order from United Airlines, which is subject to United’s business and operating requirements, values the company at $3.8 billion and puts Archer in prime position to integrate UAM as part of cities’ future transportation networks.
“Cities across America are looking for solutions to traffic and mobility challenges. Our collaboration with Miami will bring quick, safe, affordable everyday flight to Southern Florida,” said Adam Goldstein, co-Founder and co-CEO of Archer. “Launching an Urban Air Mobility (UAM) network in Florida is particularly exciting for Brett and I personally as graduates of the University of Florida. We named Archer after our first eVTOL R&D lab, based just off Archer Road in Gainesville, FL, so making an impact on Florida’s transportation issues will be a great full circle moment for us.”
“By giving passengers greater flexibility to explore the world around them, we’re bringing adventure to their fingertips, whether they’re commuting to work, or visiting a nearby city or state park,” said Brett Adcock, co-Founder and co-CEO of Archer. He added, “Archer will develop a UAM network in Miami to support eVTOL aircraft, and create a service with a price equivalent to rideshare services on the market today. Fundamental to our success, and indeed the success of the entire eVTOL industry, is the support of progressive leaders like Mayor Suarez in supporting innovative new modes of transportation.”
“We know that infrastructure and transportation solutions in Southern Florida must change over the next decade to curb carbon emissions, decrease traffic, and create the multimodal transportation networks of the future,” said Francis Suarez, Mayor of Miami. “The City of Miami is dedicated to collaborating with Archer to build one of America’s first UAM networks and work towards overcoming the geographical challenges of our water-locked areas currently only accessible via congested roadways. We couldn’t be more excited to be aligning with such a leading force in the eVTOL industry.”
Archer also announced this week that Uber Elevate co-founders, Nikhil Goel and Mark Moore, will be joining Archer’s advisory board. Goel and Moore co-authored the industry-famed “Elevate” white paper on aerial ridesharing and spent four years advancing the UAM space to pave the way for the future of transportation. Their addition further legitimizes Archer as a leader in the eVTOL industry, offering another layer of deep industry experience.
“We have assembled a team of leading industry talent at Archer, and we’re excited to add Uber Elevate founders, Nikhil Goel and Mark Moore, to our advisory board,” said Goldstein.
“Archer is dedicated to reshaping urban air mobility throughout the world and advancing the benefits of sustainable air travel. This is an undertaking that will require a tremendous amount of effort, and Nikhil and Mark will bring an unparalleled perspective as some of the first-movers in the industry,” added Adcock.
“We’ve spent much of the last decade dedicating our careers to revolutionizing the advent of eVTOL travel and for us, partnering with the Archer team and their collective 200 years’ experience in designing, building and flying eVTOL aircraft was a natural fit,” said Nikhil Goel. “Archer has the best designed aircraft in the industry, competitively positioned for superior manufacturability and fast certification,” added Mark Moore. “We’re excited to help Archer build a more sustainable transportation network for generations to come.”
