Airworthiness criteria for Archer Midnight

by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian M. Crosby

Today, Archer Aviation announced that the FAA has published the proposed Airworthiness Criteria for Archer’s Midnight aircraft in the Federal Register, a major step towards its goal of commercializing urban air mobility within the U.S.

Made to be safe, sustainable, and quiet, Midnight features an expected payload of more than 1,000 pounds and is able to carry four passengers in addition to a pilot. The aircraft has a maximum range of 100 miles and is able to reach speeds of up to 150 mph. Midnight is best suited to recurrent short distance trips of roughly 20-miles each, with a 10 minute charging time between trips. Archer is currently pursuing an FAA certification for Midnight by 2024, which it will use as part of its upcoming UAM network, planned to launch in 2025.

“From day one Archer’s strategy has always been about finding the most efficient…