Archer Aviation aims to start electric air taxi trials in India next year

Archer Aviation backed by Stellantis and Boeing aims to begin trials of its electric air taxi in India next year, ahead of a planned commercial launch in 2026, the company's CE said on Friday. US-based Archer last year partnered with InterGlobe Enterprises, which backs India's top airline IndiGo, to launch the air taxis to help people avoid ground traffic in congested cities. "Hopefully for next year, we will be able to bring planes here at the very least from a demonstrations perspective and fly them around. The goal is to help prepare the public for a new form of transportation," Adam Goldstein, who also founded Archer, said in New Delhi. Archer is working with India's aviation watchdog to get the "appropriate regulatory approvals" before it can begin trials in the country, its CCO Nikhil Goel said, adding it is already conducting trials in California. For commercial operations, Archer is in final stages of getting approvals from the FAA in the United States, which it expects will come through next year, after which it will seek clearances in India. It will first launch in New York and India will be its first international market, Goel said. Electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL), also known as flying taxis, have been touted as the future of urban air mobility. The low-altitude aircraft would travel between cities and airports avoiding traffic, but face a number of challenges before they can become a reality.<br/>