Head-turning footage captures next-gen flying machine as it takes to the skies: 'The first step toward 'The Jetsons''
A company named Pivotal demonstrated its electric flying car during Special Operations Forces Week in Tampa, Florida. As Fox 13 Tampa Bay reported, Pivotal created an electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.
The eVTOL has a one-person capacity, lifts off like a helicopter, and cruises like an airplane. Interestingly, you don't need a pilot's license to operate the eVTOL because it falls into the ultralight aircraft category.
After 13 years of development and numerous testing phases, the eVTOL design operates smoothly, efficiently, and quietly in the air.
"It really is the first step toward 'The Jetsons,'" said Pivotal CEO Ken Karklin.
This electric flying vehicle is a significant development because it provides a new option for clean energy transportation.
Meanwhile, other innovative companies are creating next-gen airplanes that are powered by hydrogen and solar energy to reduce pollution in our skies. Futuristic aircraft designs are changing the way we think about air travel, and flying cars are a significant part of this sustainability shift.
Although widespread public adoption of eVTOLs is likely still a ways off, it could offer many of the same benefits as electric vehicles on our roads. Compared to a traditional aircraft, an eVTOL could help owners save money on routine maintenance and low power costs while operating a quiet vehicle with no tailpipe pollution.
Karklin said the civilian version of the eVTOL costs about $190,000. Meanwhile, the company is pursuing opportunities in the defense and public safety sectors to address security concerns and emergency rescue needs.
Future eVTOL owners could potentially save even more money by installing solar panels to charge their flying vehicles.
Charging vehicles at home is cheaper than using public charging stations and more sustainable than relying on the grid. Flying vehicle owners can compare solar quotes through EnergySage to find the best installation deals from trusted local professionals.
Pivotal is launching a production version of the eVTOL in December and plans to be operational in two sites by the end of the year.
Would you trust a self-driving car to take you to work every day?
For sure
Maybe someday
I'm not sure
Never in a million years
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
2 days ago
- Forbes
Archer Aviation: What's Happening With ACHR Stock?
CANADA - 2025/05/13: In this photo illustration, the Archer Aviation logo is seen displayed on a ... More smartphone screen. (Photo Illustration by Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) Archer Aviation is making substantial progress in the evolving electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) sector, reflected in its stock's over 200% surge in the past year. This upward trend is fueled by rising demand for its Midnight air taxi and strategic advancements in its commercialization efforts. The company boasts a robust order book totaling $6 billion, with each Midnight air taxi valued at $5 million, providing clear revenue visibility and underscoring strong market validation for eVTOL technology. Archer is expanding its global presence, exemplified by a recent $250 million agreement with Indonesia, marking its third "Launch Edition" market after the UAE and Ethiopia. These international initiatives are bolstered by multi-hundred million dollar framework agreements with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) to expedite air taxi operations across the UAE, alongside a partnership with Falcon Aviation to develop vertiport networks connecting Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Archer aims to deliver its first piloted Midnight aircraft to the UAE this year, initiating commercial operations later in 2025 and leveraging the region as an initial revenue stream and proving ground for global expansion. Manufacturing capabilities are rapidly advancing, with a 400,000 square-foot eVTOL manufacturing facility in Georgia completed last December. This facility is poised to support order fulfillment and scale operations for a targeted 2025 commercial deployment. On a separate note, see – SoundHound AI: Buy, Sell Or Hold SOUN Stock At $10? The eVTOL market fundamentally addresses urban mobility challenges by offering aircraft significantly quieter than traditional helicopters, enabling urban operations previously restricted due to noise, thereby substantially expanding the addressable market. Furthermore, Archer's strategic partnerships with established aviation operators, including Abu Dhabi Aviation and Ethiopian Airlines, are key to mitigating operational risks and accelerating market penetration. A recent significant development reported by Gulf News is the announcement of a five-country alliance (U.S., UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand) to streamline eVTOL certification globally, which could significantly accelerate Archer's international deployment once it secures U.S. FAA type certification. Despite these positive indicators, including an average analyst price estimate of $12 for ACHR stock, suggesting approximately 20% upside potential from its current level of $10, the stock remains below its lifetime high of over $18 recorded in 2021. This disparity can be attributed to several inherent risks. Regulatory hurdles, specifically certification delays, pose a significant threat to revenue generation. Execution risks related to manufacturing and operational complexity also present challenges, and competition from well-funded rivals, such as JOBY, could lead to market share capture. Finally, Archer, like many pre-revenue companies in this capital-intensive industry, has ongoing funding requirements for scale-up. The stock has historically exhibited higher volatility and vulnerability during broader market downturns, losing approximately 90% of its value during the 2022 inflation shock and around 70% during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, significantly underperforming the S&P 500 index's peak-to-trough declines of 25% and 34%, respectively, underscoring its speculative nature. Overall, Archer Aviation appears poised for significant growth, yet this potential is accompanied by considerable risks. Now, we apply risk assessment framework while constructing Trefis High Quality (HQ) Portfolio which, with a collection of 30 stocks, has a track record of comfortably outperforming the S&P 500 over the last 4-year period. Why is that? As a group, HQ Portfolio stocks provided better returns with less risk versus the benchmark index; less of a roller-coaster ride as evident in HQ Portfolio performance metrics.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
At Paris Air Show, eVTOL Industry Preps for Takeoff
It's a bird … it's a plane … it's an … electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle, or eVTOL (neither of which exactly rolls off the tongue, if you ask us). As Airbus lands major sales and Boeing tries to regain its credibility at this year's Paris Air Show, the upstart not-quite-a-plane, not-quite-a-helicopter, not-quite-cleared-for-liftoff eVTOL industry is climbing closer and closer to achieving its sky-high ambitions. For key US players Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation, the show comes at a critical moment. READ ALSO: US Flexes Golden Share in Nippon Merger With US Steel and AmEx Platinum, Chase Sapphire Reserve Battle for Points in Upgrade Grudge Match Both Archer and Joby went public in 2020 during the SPAC craze. Like a lot of SPAC companies, their appeal to investors was largely speculative — and, five years later, remains somewhat speculative (neither has completed a commercial flight yet). But promises of a Jetsons-esque future of battery-powered flying taxis are starting to look a little more real, especially after a slew of developments in just the past couple of weeks. At the end of May, Joby announced it received $250 million from Toyota, the second tranche of a $500 million investment from the major automaker announced in October (which itself followed a previous $394 million investment from Toyota). Then, last week, came the big news: As part of a broader initiative to promote domestic drone production, the White House issued an executive order to launch a pilot program for the nascent industry. The announcement brought renewed interest to the pair of eVTOL firms, which showed both companies may have climbed a little too close to the sun: Shares of Joby had spiked more than 30% in the days immediately following the announcement of the Toyota cash infusion. That led analysts at Cantor Fitzgerald to quell some of the excitement, downgrading the stock from overweight to neutral while highlighting the company's high cash-burn rate and lack of near-term upside. Archer, meanwhile, seized the opportunity presented by the White House's encouraging executive orders to sell $850 million of stock on Friday, which dragged its share price down 15%. It did recover nearly 4% on Monday, however. Cleared for Takeoff: But what about the question that may matter the most: When will these birds finally fly? It's tough to say. Both companies have scored deals to launch air taxi services in the United Arab Emirates, with Archer saying industry standards in the country should be finalized by next month and Joby saying service could start as soon as early next year. Both companies have also struck deals with major US airlines — Archer with United and Joby with Delta — to eventually ferry passengers to and from major US airports. Archer has also struck a deal to become the official air taxi partner of the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics, which shows the lengths to which Angelenos will go to avoid their infamous traffic jams. This post first appeared on The Daily Upside. To receive delivering razor sharp analysis and perspective on all things finance, economics, and markets, subscribe to our free The Daily Upside newsletter.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Archer Lands $250 Million Indonesia eVTOL Deal
Archer Aviation (NYSE:ACHR) shares are ticking in the green after the eVTOL maker inked a deal with Indonesia's PT. Industri Ketahanan Nasional will introduce up to 50 Midnight aircraftvalued at $5 million apieceto the Southeast Asian archipelago. Under the nonbinding agreement, PT. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 2 Warning Sign with ACHR. IKN will deploy an initial fleet for air taxis, military logistics, cargo delivery and environmental surveillance in and around the new capital, Ibu Kota Nusantara, with an $18 million pilot program providing pilots, technicians, software and booking tools. The partners will work with Indonesia's Directorate General of Civil Aviation to craft regulations and infrastructure ahead of launch. This marks Indonesia as the third market in Archer's Launch Edition global rollout, following deals in the UAE and Ethiopia, and underscores CEO Adam Goldstein's view of the archipelago's island geography and tourism growth as ideal for eVTOL deployment. Archer's recent $850 million capital raise has boosted liquidity to roughly $2 billion, positioning the company to scale production250 Midnights are slated for 2025and build out charging and vertiport networks. The firm is also integrating AI-driven flight operations and safety via partnerships with Palantir (PLTR). Why it matters: Securing a third early-adopter market validates Archer's blueprint for global commercial air mobility ahead of full FAA certification, de-risking expansion and reinforcing its first-mover advantage. Analysts see Archer Aviation trading at about $10.40 today and climbing to an average target of $12.31 over the next yearimplying nearly 19% upside. In a best-case scenario, bullish forecasts stretch as high as $18, while the bears warn the shares could fall to around $4.50 if execution or certification hiccups arise. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Sign in to access your portfolio
