Archer Aviation, developer of the Maker eVTOL, has been approved for the G-1 Certification Basis by the FAA. This enables it to move closer towards its end goal of obtaining an FAA Type Certification for the aircraft.

The G-1 issue paper provides Archer with airworthiness and environmental requirements, these include noise, fuel venting and exhaust emissions, including equivalent level of safety (ELOS) findings and special conditions that must be met for certification.

Archer can now focus on finalising its G-2 Issue Paper with the FAA, which will set forth the means of compliance to meet the requirements set out in the G-1 Issue Paper. Archer has been working on the means of compliance for the G-2 Issue Paper with the FAA since earlier this year, as well as the necessary testing and methods required to demonstrate safety and compliance of the aircraft.

It worked with the FAA through its Centre for Emerging Concepts and Innovation and the Los Angeles Aircraft Certification Office to develop the airworthiness and environmental requirements necessary for full certification for the Maker.

"We're certainly proud to have hit this historic milestone for Archer. Obtaining the G-1 Certification Basis is a significant step forward towards Archer's and the eVTOL industry's goal of changing how people will move around urban environments," says Archer's head of certification Eric Wright. "This is an exciting time to be a part of the aviation industry as we work to electrify the skies, and we look forward to continuing to partner with the FAA on revolutionising aircraft transportation."

"Certification continues to be the shining light at the end of our design and development tunnel," adds Brett Adcock, co-founder and co-CEO of Archer. "While there is still significant work ahead of us, we now have a basis agreed upon with the FAA that will allow us to better focus our efforts on our goal of obtaining certification on an efficient timeline."