Archer Aviation Inc. (NYSE: ACHR) has announced another milestone in its Midnight flight test programme, with the electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft successfully reaching its highest altitude to date at 7,000 feet.
The flight, which departed from Archer’s test facility in Salinas, California, forms part of the company’s ongoing envelope expansion campaign. Designed primarily to operate between 1,500 and 4,000 feet in urban environments, Midnight’s ability to perform at higher altitudes demonstrates added flexibility for managing traffic in dense airspace and operating in elevated cities.
During the test, Midnight’s pilot carried out a steady climb before levelling off, completing a 45-mile flight at speeds exceeding 120 mph. This achievement comes on the heels of last month’s record-setting run, in which the aircraft covered 55 miles in just 31 minutes at more than 126 mph.
Adam Goldstein, founder and CEO of Archer, commented:
“I’m proud of the team for consistently proving Midnight’s performance capabilities while maintaining the highest safety standards. Our test pilots will continue to safely and methodically test Midnight’s speed, duration and mission profiles to prepare for early commercial operations.”
Together, these performance milestones highlight Midnight’s readiness as Archer pushes ahead toward FAA certification in the United States and prepares for near-term commercial operations in the United Arab Emirates.
SOURCE NAD IMAGE: ARCHER AVIATION
