Palo Alto, California-based Archer, a company designing and developing an eVTOL, is committing to launch a UAM network in Miami by 2024. Archer will 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. The company is also planning to launch in Los Angeles, with a similar timeline in mind.

Archer's UAM platform will be designed to 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 benefitting the environment and working towards a future zero-emissions world. Archer's recently announced merger with Atlas Crest Investment Corporation and a $1 billion 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,” says Adam Goldstein, co-founder and co-CEO of Archer. “Launching an urban air mobility 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, Florida, so making an impact on Florida's transportation issues will be a great full circle moment for us.”

Co-founder and co-CEO Brett Adcock adds: “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. 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.”

Mayor of Miami Francis Suarez states: “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. 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 two of Uber Elevate's co-founders, Nikhil Goel and Mark Moore, will be joining Archer's advisory board. Goel and Moore co-authored the ‘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 legitimises Archer as a leader in the eVTOL industry, offering another layer of deep industry experience.

“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,” adds Adcock.

Mark Moore concludes: “Archer has one of the best designed aircraft that I've seen, both for aerial ride-sharing and cargo applications. It's competitively positioned for superior manufacturability and rapid certification. Its engineering team has developed a compelling eVTOL that's tightly aligned with the necessary requirements for optimum network performance and economics.”