August 18, 2022 | US Air Force’s AFWERX Agility Prime Team Visits Archer

Much of our aviation history has been written by the aircraft of the US Air Force. They’ve continually pushed the envelope of innovation and reimagined what flying can be. It’s only fitting, therefore, that they would work with Archer to help them in their own continuing innovation. We share a vision of what the next revolution in air travel can be and how our aircraft could help transform the industry. At Archer our mission is to unlock the skies, freeing us to reimagine how we live and spend time. What if we could transform other aspects of aviation by expanding the potential benefits of eVTOL aircraft? It’s the question that the US Air Force’s AFWERX Agility Prime program has been asking, and looking to Archer and other industry leaders for the answers.

Recently we welcomed the AFWERX Agility Prime team to our headquarters as part of our continued collaboration. The visit laid out a very specific set of goals. We sought to provide insight into our aircraft testing data, allowing Agility Prime personnel to expand their knowledge of our technology and approach certification. The opportunity would allow for feedback on the path to commercialization and the possible expansion of our partnership. 

The itinerary for the day was comprehensive and undoubtedly immersive. During their visit, the team had the opportunity to tour our Design Studio, as well as our demonstrator Aircraft Assembly area and Integration Test Labs. This allowed them insight into our progress with Maker, which is being used to test the performance capabilities of certain aspects of our eVTOL technology, as well as insight into progress developing our soon-to-be-revealed production aircraft. They were given an overview of our manufacturing progress towards mass production, including recent agreements with key suppliers like Hexcel and Honeywell.

Our collaboration with AFWERX Agility Prime is a key partnership on our path to commercialization. Beginning in September 2021, the collaboration sought to identify opportunities for early adoption of our eVTOL aircraft. We agreed to share our flight testing data to allow the AFWERX Agility Prime Office to assess the potential for  eVTOL aircraft. It was the start of our shared search for humanitarian-focused eVTOL benefits beyond urban aerial ridesharing. And since the agreement was signed, our flight testing progress has provided ample data to share and opportunities to explore. 

The response on this recent visit was overwhelmingly positive, both in regards to the data we’ve compiled through testing and to our business model as a whole. Development of our eVTOL aircraft began in the United States, and we plan to continue our path to production here. We’ve taken a consistent approach to manufacturing and supply chain security. It’s a path that is understandably quite important for the US Air Force. The Agility Prime team also identified other areas of importance and value to our shared goals. They pointed to the simplicity of the aircraft design and focus on safety throughout our operation, allowing for greater reliability and logistical advantages (you can learn more about our approach to safety and more in our Tech Talks video series). They applauded the aircraft performance parameters and capabilities, and our focus on pilot training and maintenance operations. At the close of the day the benefits to this collaboration and information sharing were clear.

We remain focused on our vision for the next chapter in aviation history. With aircraft that are sustainable and safe, the possibilities are wider than perhaps any of us can imagine. And we’ll continue our dedication to the government and industry partnerships that can make it all happen.