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DUBAI — For the past four years, Archer Aviation has had a clear strategy for commercializing its electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft: concentrate its engineering resources on developing the vehicle’s electric powertrain, and outsource as much as it can of everything else to suppliers. Now, the eVTOL developer has become a supplier itself, providing its electric motors and batteries to defense tech firm Anduril Industries for its recently unveiled hybrid-electric Omen drone.
The agreement was announced Nov. 18 at the Dubai Airshow, where Anduril displayed a mock-up of Omen at the sprawling Edge Group booth. Anduril the week prior announced a joint venture with United Arab Emirates-based Edge to develop the large tail-sitting drone, which will take off and land vertically on its tail and rotate to fly on the wing in forward flight. Edge is contributing nearly $200 million towards Omen’s three-year development program and the UAE has committed to buying the first 50 Omen systems.
Related: Archer Aviation CEO delves into the strategy behind Anduril deal
Archer’s supplier agreement with Anduril — which is separate from its previously announced partnership with the company to develop a hybrid-electric military aircraft — underscores how much the eVTOL industry has evolved since 2021, when Archer, Joby Aviation and other electric air taxi developers listed on the public markets in a wave of investor enthusiasm for urban air mobility.
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