UK-based Vertical Aviation is taking on Archer Aviation and Joby Aviation in New York after announcing plans for its own electric vehicle takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft network in the US's largest city. Collaborating with Bristow Group and Skyports Infrastructure, Vertical Aerospace plans to deliver electric air travel routes in and out of Manhattan and connect airports with key New York sites.
Archer Aviation filed a patent infringement lawsuit against rival eVTOL developer Vertical Aerospace, alleging that Vertical's Valo aircraft copies protected elements of Archer's Midnight design. The complaint was filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas on February 23, 2026.
Archer Aviation has signed a deal with Serbia to become the official air mobility provider for EXPO 2027, an international specialized exhibition in Belgrade. Archer's Midnight eVTOL will be showcased at the event, and the Serbian government may purchase up to 25 units of this aircraft type.
Archer Aviation has launched a new UK subsidiary and recruited Vertical Aerospace's Director of Engineering Limhi Somerville. The move aims to build a team in South West England and support the development of eVTOL aircraft.
Archer Aviation has signed agreements to acquire Hawthorne Municipal Airport in Southern California for $126 million, positioning the site as both an operations base for its planned Los Angeles air-taxi network and a testbed for artificial-intelligence-based aviation technologies. According to AeroTime, Archer plans to use the airport as a development and demonstration site for AI-powered air-traffic and ground-operations management systems designed with airline and technology partners.