Business

Archer Aviation to supply electric powertrain to Anduril, EDGE for Omen drone

2 min readShivansh Tiwary
Archer Aviation to supply electric powertrain to Anduril, EDGE for Omen drone
Why is Archer Aviation, known for its eVTOL passenger aircraft, now supplying electric powertrains for military drones?

Key Points

  • 1Archer Aviation will supply its electric powertrain for the Omen autonomous air vehicle.
  • 2The Omen drone is being co-developed by Anduril Industries and EDGE Group.
  • 3This is Archer's first third-party application of its powertrain.
  • 4The United Arab Emirates has committed to purchasing 50 Omen units.
  • 5Archer is diversifying its revenue streams due to regulatory delays in the passenger air taxi market.

Archer Aviation, primarily focused on developing electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for passenger transport, is expanding its business model by supplying its electric powertrain to Anduril Industries and EDGE Group for the Omen autonomous air vehicle. This marks Archer's first third-party application of its powertrain technology, which is currently used in its Midnight eVTOL aircraft. The agreement introduces a new revenue stream for the company as regulatory hurdles slow the rollout of passenger air taxis.

The Omen drone, a hover-to-cruise autonomous aircraft, has already received an initial commitment for 50 units from the United Arab Emirates. Archer's powertrain, including its proprietary battery pack and electric engine system, is manufactured at its facilities in the United States. This deal signifies a strategic shift for companies in the eVTOL sector, as they increasingly explore defense and logistics applications to diversify their commercial opportunities.

Archer's founder and CEO, Adam Goldstein, emphasized that the company views its Midnight eVTOL as a platform that hosts a wide range of aerospace technologies, extending its application beyond passenger transport. The Anduril deal is expected to be the first of multiple partnerships for Archer. This announcement was made during the Dubai Air Show, following a series of international partnerships for Archer, including agreements in South Korea and Japan to deploy its Midnight aircraft in urban air mobility programs.

Topics

#Archer Aviation#eVTOL#drones#powertrain#UAM#business

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