Air taxi startup Archer Aviation and defense technology company Anduril are pushing into military hardware together.
According to Reuters, the two companies on Monday unveiled a co-developed autonomous aircraft platform designed for both commercial and military uses. Alongside it, they introduced an autonomous attack rotorcraft called Thunder.
Investors reacted quickly. Archer's stock rose 20% higher after the announcement, according to CNBC.
The move marks a notable pivot in framing for Archer, which is best known for its electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. As CNBC notes, Archer and its eVTOL peers have been racing for approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) so they can begin flying air taxis commercially. Partnering with Anduril — a company focused on defense technology — signals ambitions well beyond ferrying passengers around cities.
The sources describe the new platform as intentionally dual-use, meaning the same underlying technology is meant to serve civilian transport and defense applications. Thunder, the attack rotorcraft, represents the explicitly military end of that spectrum.
Why it matters: The tie-up shows how commercial aviation startups and defense firms are increasingly converging, with autonomous flight technology being developed for the battlefield as well as the daily commute — and Wall Street is signaling strong interest in that combination.