Archer Aviation CEO Adam Goldstein reaffirmed the company's goal to have air taxis certified and flying by the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, speaking on Monday at the Farnborough Air Show in the U.K. The company unveiled its Thunder autonomous vertical takeoff and landing defense craft with Anduril, designed to accompany crewed aircraft and helicopters, with shares rallying more than 12%. Goldstein acknowledged the timeline remains ambitious as the eVTOL industry faces regulatory and infrastructure hurdles that have pushed back certification timelines, though recent federal support through President Donald Trump's pilot program testing across 26 states aims to accelerate deployment.
Archer and Anduril Unveil Thunder Defense Aircraft
Archer on Monday unveiled its Thunder autonomous vertical takeoff and landing defense craft with Anduril at the Farnborough Air Show. The aircraft is designed to accompany crewed aircraft and helicopters. The two companies first joined forces in 2024. Archer shares rallied more than 12% following the announcement.
Trump Pilot Program Supports Certification Timeline
Archer and its peers have benefitted from President Donald Trump's eVTOL pilot program aimed at accelerating deployment, with testing across 26 states. "This is really critical to gaining the trust of the public and the trust of the regulators that will ultimately lead to our certification," Goldstein told CNBC. "That step is going to be hugely critical in order to allow us to meet those timelines." Goldstein told CNBC's Phil LeBeau that the company is "laser-focused" on certification, stating "It's always been an ambitious goal. It's still an ambitious goal, but we're certainly going to try our hardest to get there."
Defense Applications Expand Beyond Commercial Aviation
Goldstein called defense applications a "huge market" for Archer amid rising geopolitical tensions abroad. The aircraft also doesn't require the same certification process necessary for commercial use cases, he added. "The applications we can bring in the defense world are quite impressive and very much needed for the warfighter," he said. Archer is widely known for creating electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft aimed at cutting emissions and traffic in crowded urban areas.
FAQ
What did Archer Aviation announce at the Farnborough Air Show?
Archer Aviation unveiled its Thunder autonomous vertical takeoff and landing defense craft with Anduril on Monday at the Farnborough Air Show in the U.K. The aircraft is designed to accompany crewed aircraft and helicopters.
Why does Archer Aviation's defense aircraft not require the same certification as commercial aircraft?
According to CEO Adam Goldstein, defense applications don't require the same certification process necessary for commercial use cases. This allows faster deployment for military applications compared to commercial air taxi operations.
How is the Trump administration supporting eVTOL companies like Archer Aviation?
President Donald Trump's eVTOL pilot program is testing aircraft across 26 states to accelerate deployment. Goldstein stated this program is critical to gaining public and regulatory trust that will ultimately lead to Archer's certification.
