MIflyer
1st Lieutenant
From techcrunch.com
Archer Aviation unveiled its autonomous electric two-seater aircraft dubbed "Maker" on Thursday, which it will use for testing as it works toward certification of a larger piloted five-seater announced in March 2020.
The aircraft unveiled on Thursday is not what would take to the skies should the company reach commercial operation in 2024. However, Archer's Head of Certification Eric Wright told TechCrunch that starting with an autonomous vehicle allows the company to move through the testing process more efficiently.
"The [two-seater] Maker aircraft is a stepping stone in the path to certification," Wright explained. He said it was "a testbed that really helps us to increase our knowledge and awareness on say, the flight control systems and the electric propulsion and the things that we're putting into the certified aircraft, and to help the [Federal Aviation Administration] gain confidence in that design as we put it through its paces, and of course, they will be involved in watching that development occur."
Both Maker and the unnamed five-seater aircraft bear similarities in their specs: both have a "tilt-rotor" design, meaning that of the total 12 rotors on the aircraft, the front six can tilt position. This tilting mechanism is what allows the aircraft to ascend vertically like a helicopter and move forward like an airplane.
Archer Aviation unveiled its autonomous electric two-seater aircraft dubbed "Maker" on Thursday, which it will use for testing as it works toward certification of a larger piloted five-seater announced in March 2020.
The aircraft unveiled on Thursday is not what would take to the skies should the company reach commercial operation in 2024. However, Archer's Head of Certification Eric Wright told TechCrunch that starting with an autonomous vehicle allows the company to move through the testing process more efficiently.
"The [two-seater] Maker aircraft is a stepping stone in the path to certification," Wright explained. He said it was "a testbed that really helps us to increase our knowledge and awareness on say, the flight control systems and the electric propulsion and the things that we're putting into the certified aircraft, and to help the [Federal Aviation Administration] gain confidence in that design as we put it through its paces, and of course, they will be involved in watching that development occur."
Both Maker and the unnamed five-seater aircraft bear similarities in their specs: both have a "tilt-rotor" design, meaning that of the total 12 rotors on the aircraft, the front six can tilt position. This tilting mechanism is what allows the aircraft to ascend vertically like a helicopter and move forward like an airplane.
