Archer and United Airlines to launch air taxi in New York

American aviation startup Archer, together with United Airlines, has announced plans to launch an air taxi service in New York. The idea is to reduce travel time between Manhattan and the city's largest airports - JFK, LaGuardia and Newark. Instead of an hour-long journey by ground transport, passengers will be able to get there in 5-15 minutes using Archer's electric aircraft, called Midnight, The Verge reports.

The project will use existing helipads. The Midnight aircraft is designed for four passengers and a pilot, takes off and lands vertically, like a helicopter, and in the air switches to horizontal flight, like an airplane. Its maximum speed is 241 km/h, and the flight range is up to 160 km. The aircraft is powered entirely by batteries.

In addition to the three main airports, the route will also include regional hubs: Westchester, Teterboro and Republic airports. The service will be available as an option on a United flight, but the final cost of the trip has not yet been announced. For example, a flight from Manhattan to JFK on Blade helicopters currently costs about $265 per seat.

The exact launch date for the service in New York is not yet known. The first commercial launch of Archer aircraft is expected to take place in Los Angeles during the 2028 Olympics. To do this, the company must obtain certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which will confirm the safety of the aircraft design. Archer already has other FAA certifications that allow it to provide transportation and maintenance services.

Archer, founded in 2020, quickly gained attention by hiring experts from Airbus’ Vahana and Wisk projects. The company currently has a $1 billion contract with United Airlines, a $500 million deal with Japan Airlines, and is partnering with Stellantis for large-scale production. Archer is also developing military aircraft for Anduril and has about $1 billion in cash after recent investment rounds.

As a reminder, the flying taxi industry is also actively developing in China. Two Chinese companies recently received certificates from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, allowing them to operate autonomous passenger drones.