Archer Aviation announced a new partnership that will see its proprietary electric powertrain supplied to Anduril Industries and UAE‑based EDGE Group for the Omen autonomous air‑vehicle, the first time the company’s technology will be used by a third party. The Omen, a tail‑sitting, hover‑to‑cruise autonomous air vehicle, is being co‑developed by Anduril and EDGE and is intended for both defense and commercial missions such as maritime surveillance, logistics, and disaster response.
The deal comes at a critical juncture for Archer, which reported a Q3 2025 net loss of $129.9 million and zero revenue as it continues to develop its Midnight eVTOL air taxi. Archer’s cash reserves exceed $1 billion, giving it the runway to pursue strategic partnerships while it works toward the first revenue from aircraft sales, expected in early 2026. The power‑train supply agreement therefore represents a tangible new revenue stream that can help offset development costs and accelerate the company’s path to profitability.
The Omen platform is designed for runway independence, offering endurance, speed, and payload comparable to larger aircraft. Anduril and EDGE have formed a joint venture, the EDGE‑Anduril Production Alliance, to produce the Omen, with the UAE committing to an initial order of 50 units and full‑rate production targeted for the end of 2028. Archer’s powertrain, derived from the Midnight platform, will power the Omen’s propulsion system, providing a proven electric architecture for a demanding defense application.
By entering the defense‑automation market, Archer diversifies beyond its core eVTOL business and gains a foothold in a sector with significant growth potential. The partnership validates Archer’s technology in a high‑performance environment, bolstering confidence among potential commercial and government customers. Management has indicated that this is the first of many such deals, suggesting a broader strategy to license the Midnight platform to other aerospace and defense customers.
The eVTOL and defense‑automation landscape is increasingly crowded, with competitors such as Lilium, Volocopter, and Joby Aviation exploring similar dual‑use strategies. Archer’s move positions it as a technology provider rather than solely an aircraft manufacturer, potentially strengthening its competitive moat and opening new revenue channels as regulatory approvals for urban air mobility mature.
CEO Adam Goldstein said the power‑train deal “is the first of what we expect to be many examples of leveraging Midnight’s platform for broader aerospace technologies,” underscoring the company’s intent to expand its reach beyond passenger air taxis into defense and logistics markets.
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