United Airlines Places $10 Million Downpayment On Flying Taxis

Electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) startup Archer Aviation first acquired United as a customer in January 2021. The airline then placed an order worth $1 billion from the Palo Alto-based company. Options were included for aircraft worth an additional $500 million. The agreement will allow United to operate as many as 200 of Archer’s eVTOLs. Customer deliveries are planned to begin in 2024, pending regulatory approval.

United Airlines will be the launch customer for the four-seater eVTOL that Archer is currently developing. Yet to be mass-produced, the vehicle, called Maker, is currently undergoing flight testing. It will be able to travel for up to 60 miles on a single charge at speeds of 150 miles per hour. You can already catch a glimpse of it in the air in the video shared by the company’s CEO below.