Advanced Air Mobility Modern Flying News

Archer Eyes Public Air Taxi Demos, Potential Sale in South Korea

South Korea’s Kakao Mobility tentatively agrees to purchase up to 50 Midnight air taxis and will fund Archer’s commercialization efforts in the country.

Thursday, May 30, 2024 at 09:18 AM ET

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An image depicts simulated flight and operations of Archer’s Midnight air taxi in Seoul, South Korea. [Courtesy: Archer Aviation]

Key Takeaways:

Archer Aviation has partnered with Kakao Mobility Corp. for the planned purchase and operation of up to 50 Midnight eVTOL air taxis in South Korea, starting in Seoul by 2026, in a potential $250 million deal.
Kakao Mobility also selected Archer as its eVTOL partner for South Korea's K-UAM Grand Challenge, a national initiative to demonstrate and commercialize urban air mobility (UAM) services.
The collaboration aims to significantly reduce commute times in the congested Seoul Capital Area by offering 10-20 minute air taxi flights that are cost-competitive with ground-based rideshares.
Through their consortium, Archer and Kakao Mobility will conduct public demonstrations, work with regulators on standards, and develop essential infrastructure like vertiports for Korea's UAM ecosystem.

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Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi manufacturer Archer Aviation on Thursday continued to expand its global ambitions for Midnight, its flagship model.

The United Airlines partner and Kakao Mobility Corp.—a subsidiary of South Korean conglomerate Kakao which runs Kakao T, a popular taxi-hailing service akin to Uber in the U.S.—signed an agreement that covers the latter’s planned purchase and operation of up to 50 aircraft as early as 2026, beginning in Seoul.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.