According to the company, the tool is intended to enable “air mobility for everyone, everywhere.” The company is expected to initially focus on areas with heavy traffic loads and, in the future, expand to a network of air taxis.
“Midnight” is also a product of collaboration, this time between the California-based company Archer Aviation, operating since 2020, and the multinational automotive corporation Stellantis. As part of this collaboration, Archer gained access to the engineering, supply, and production processes of the automotive giant, enabling, among other things, the development of a lithium-ion battery specifically designed for this vehicle. The specifications include a variety of sensors and computer systems that will enable autonomous takeoff and landing, including an air data system, radar, laser altimeter, weight-on-wheels (WOW) sensors, and downward-facing cameras. The vehicle, based solely on electric motors, is expected to be entirely free of emissions and also offer a flight experience with reduced vibrations and noise.
The manufacturing process is based on several stages. First, the company developed the Maker, its first fully-sized electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, which underwent its first test flight at the end of 2021. Now, with the production of the Midnight model underway, the company has reached a milestone. Although the date of its test flight is not yet known, it has been announced that the Midnight will be designed for five passengers, including the pilot, and will reach an altitude of up to 60 miles (almost 100 km). It will offer a range of 100 miles (approximately 160 km) and a maximum speed of 150 miles per hour (about 240 km/h).
According to the company, the purpose of the vehicle, once launched, is to enable “air mobility for everyone, everywhere.” The company is expected to initially focus on densely populated areas with heavy traffic loads and, in the future, expand to a network of air taxis.
In summary, an ambitious vision that could reshape the world of air transportation.
