Air taxi developers pivot to military market amid civil certification delays

Electric air-taxi startups increasingly look to the military as civil eVTOL certification drags on and budgets tighten. At last week’s Farnborough Airshow, companies competing to commercialize electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft highlighted new efforts to build military versions, shifting away from commuter-focused pitches to investors. The pivot is driven by demand for uncrewed aircraft in conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, where missions can include supply, surveillance and medical evacuations without runway dependence. Archer CEO Adam Goldstein said defense programs can deliver shorter fielding times and “known money” in contracts. Vertical Aerospace pushed its Valo certification and service target to 2029.