FutureFlight
Archer and NASA Collaborate on eVTOL Aircraft Battery Testing
Under a new Space Act Agreement, Archer will work with the U.S. space agency to characterize the safety and performance of the battery cells that power the company’s Midnight eVTOL air taxi. 
The Midnight eVTOL aircraft is pictured during a flight test
The Midnight eVTOL aircraft is pictured during a flight test. (Photo: Archer Aviation)

Archer Aviation and NASA are joining forces to test battery systems for eVTOL aircraft and potential space applications, the California-based eVTOL developer announced this week. Under a new Space Act Agreement, Archer will work with the U.S. space agency to characterize the safety and performance of the battery cells that power the company’s Midnight air taxi. 

The Midnight is a piloted, four-passenger eVTOL air taxi that Archer says will have a range of up to 100 miles on a single charge, although the company is targeting shorter urban routes of around 20 miles for initial commercial operations, which it expects to launch by the end of 2025. Its all-electric powertrain features six independent 800-volt battery packs, each of which power two of the 12 rotors that are mounted on the wing. Six of the 12 propellers tilt to provide a combination of vertical lift and forward propulsion.