Electric air taxis go to war

Electric aviation is still in its early stages, but manufacturers are already looking beyond just cross-city air taxi trips. Today, one of the leading air taxi startups, San Jose-based Archer Aviation, unveiled a new aircraft It was jointly developed with defense technology company Anduril – Although the platform is designed for both military and commercial uses, the companies said.

The new aircraft looks like a cross between the Midnight Archer air taxi and a more established vertical take-off and landing military aircraft such as the V-22 Osprey. Anduril, founded by Palmer Luckey, unveiled the new model, called Thunder, on Monday at the Farnborough Air Show in Hampshire, England. It is intended to be a fully autonomous attack helicopter flying alongside manned military aircraft. Archer says it plans to unveil a commercial version later this week.

The Thunder differs from the Midnight in that it is a hybrid powertrain, rather than all-electric. Archer says the hybrid system will help the aircraft achieve a much longer range “while maintaining the accuracy needed to closely optimize power through the full range of flight conditions.” Air taxi companies are increasingly turning to hybrid power to expand beyond air taxi applications and tap into broader markets. Archer said it expects Thunder to be used for military strikes, cargo shipping, remote logistics and other operations in hard-to-reach locations.

Air taxi companies are also looking to establish military partnerships to help stem their huge losses. Air taxis have not yet obtained the necessary approvals in most markets that would allow them to launch their commercial services and bring in more money. Archer lost $217.7 million in the first quarter of 2026, after generating revenue of just $1.6 million. Archer said it intends to launch the air taxi service by 2026, and the first market is likely to be in Abu Dhabi.

Archer has already done so She indicated her interest In branching out into military and defense programs. Last year, the air taxi company said it would license its electric vertical and takeoff technology to Anduril, including supplying the electric powertrain and other technology for the defense contractor’s Omen drone program. Archer has also delivered one of its Midnight eVTOL aircraft to the USAF as part of its evaluation program.