Archer Aviation Inc. announced it will work with Starlink to bring stable, reliable and high-speed connectivity to its air taxis, marking Starlink's entry into the emerging air mobility category and an industry-first collaboration. Under the agreement, Archer will install Starlink's low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite internet system into its Midnight aircraft and conduct testing. The system is designed to provide high-speed, low-latency, connectivity during Midnight's air taxi operations.
Midnight is piloted electric air taxi designed to carry up to four passengers while producing less noise and emissions than a traditional helicopter. Midnight is built with redundant systems across the aircraft--including 12 total engines and propellers--all allowing Archer to target similar levels of safety as commercial airliners. Beyond passenger internet access, Archer plans to utilize Starlink to enable communications between Midnight, pilots and engineering teams on the ground, helping to support the company's air taxi connectivity infrastructure.
Archer and Starlink also plan to work together to develop a connectivity solution that can help power Archer's future development of autonomous aircraft. Unlike traditional aircraft connectivity solutions that rely on ground towers or geostationary satellites, Starlink's LEO constellation is engineered to provide consistent, high-bandwidth coverage even at low flight altitudes and in dense urban environments where cellular coverage is often unreliable. These characteristics make Starlink uniquely suited to next-generation aviation platforms, such as air taxis operating in and around cities at altitudes of approximately 1,500 feet.
