Archer Aviation CEO on eVTOL air taxis, LA Olympics exclusivity, and the Joby China supply chain lawsuit

Summary

Archer Aviation builds electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft that take off and land like helicopters but cruise forward like fixed-wing planes. CEO Adam Goldstein founded the company after years running a conventional software business.

The aircraft, called Midnight, is designed to fit existing helicopter infrastructure. It has a wingspan under 50 feet, a gross weight of 6,500 pounds, and is compatible with standard heliport pads. It charges via the same two-speed DC infrastructure used by Tesla Superchargers. Archer has partnered with Beta Technologies, which manufactures much of the charging equipment Archer is deploying. For a city like New York, Goldstein says a handful of chargers at the major heliports is sufficient and poses no grid-stress problem.

FAA certification and safety

The FAA created a new aircraft category for eVTOLs, distinct from both helicopters and fixed-wing planes, and the certification standard is higher than what applies to helicopters today. Multiple redundant motors and propellers remove the single points of failure that exist in single-engine helicopters. The battery certification process requires thermal runaway testing on individual cells, and full packs must survive being dropped from 50 feet without emitting toxic gases or catching fire. Goldstein uses commercially proven lithium-ion cells rather than novel chemistries because the FAA requires documented safety data, not untested performance claims.

As battery energy density improves, Goldstein expects range, speed, and payload to expand. Combustion-engine aircraft do not share that upside, since jet fuel does not get better over time.

Current civil range is under 100 miles, targeting urban corridors. The defense variant is a hybrid that Goldstein says can exceed 1,000 miles. Archer is not competing with heavy-lift platforms like the CH-53K King Stallion for offshore or long-haul military applications.

Production and Olympics

Archer has a factory in Georgia with capacity for up to 650 aircraft per year. The company has completed its first block of 10 aircraft and is building toward a block of 50, timed to align with FAA certification progress. Archer was selected as the exclusive air taxi provider for the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics.

Goldstein identifies city-center-to-airport trips as the most obvious initial commercial market, citing high demand, known willingness to pay, and short distances that nonetheless take disproportionate time by road. LA to LAX and New York to JFK are the primary examples. Texas and Florida allow relatively open landing, while California will require more structured vertiport planning.

Defense and the Joby supply chain lawsuit

Archer is building aircraft for defense applications in partnership with Anduril, which equips the platforms with sensors, weapons systems, and other payloads. Goldstein says Archer's supply chain is US-based and argues that any American company working in defense should be required to build domestically and disclose foreign manufacturing transparently.

Archer's lawsuit against rival Joby Aviation, which made the front page of the Wall Street Journal, alleges that Joby concealed China supply chain ties by setting up factories and supply chain operations in Shenzhen without adequate disclosure. Goldstein frames the lawsuit as a matter of national security and industrial policy, not competitive grievance alone. Joby's position was not addressed.