Archer receives $10m deposit from United Airlines for 100 eVTOL aircraft

Archer said that the payment represents a watershed moment for the eVTOL industry, validating confidence in the commercialisation of eVTOL aircraft. United agreed to the purchase in 2021.

Having recently completed its production aircraft’s Preliminary Design Review (PDR), Archer is now advancing to the next stage of development and commercialisation. The PDR is a meticulous review of the aircraft design to ensure the programme is on track and the design is mature enough to proceed to the next development phase and kick-off production of long lead time hardware.

The PDR lays out all aspects of the aircraft’s specifications and manufacturing requirements, which are necessary pre-conditions for determining that the design is feasible for regulatory compliance and viable to bring to market.

United’s decision to place a deposit for 100 of Archer’s eVTOL aircraft signals its desire to be one of the first airline operators in the US to bring eVTOL aircraft to market. The pre-delivery cash deposit continues a trend of strong support by the airline throughout development of its aircraft.