Progressing Towards Certification: Archer Aviation’s Successful Safety Tests
Archer Aviation Inc., a developer of electrical vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, has accomplished a series of battery pack drop tests, a crucial requirement within the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification process. Conducted on the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) lab, these tests evaluated the resilience of the battery packs utilized in Archer’s Midnight aircraft under extreme impact conditions. Dropping the battery packs from a height of fifty feet at various states of charge (100%, 30%, and 0%) demonstrated their ability to face up to significant impacts and remain functional, a critical safety feature for eVTOL operations.
Alex Clarabut, Battery Lead at Archer, reflected on the tests’ importance, stating, “Passing the battery pack drop tests is a crucial step forward in our FAA certification efforts. It demonstrates our commitment to safety and is a key milestone towards achieving our goal of creating Midnight certainly one of the safest aircraft within the sky.”
The success of those tests is a positive development for Archer because it continues its path toward FAA certification. It shows the corporate’s commitment to adhering to high safety standards and its capability in developing durable and reliable battery technology.
Archer goals to remodel urban travel by offering a substitute for traditional automotive commutes with its electric air taxi flights, which could significantly reduce travel times in urban settings. The corporate’s Midnight aircraft, designed to hold 4 passengers and operate quickly between flights with minimal charging time, is part of Archer’s vision to make air travel a practical option for city commutes.
This progress in battery pack testing marks a step forward for Archer within the competitive eVTOL market, moving closer to FAA certification and the conclusion of urban air mobility.
Read more: