Archer and REEF Team Up To Tackle Urban Congestion with Vertiports and Urban Air Mobility Networks
California-based Archer Aviation Inc., a developer of an urban air mobility ecosystem and all-electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, announced it will work with REEF to develop plans for urban takeoff and landing sites.
REEF, an operator of mobility and logistics hubs in the U.S., transforms urban spaces into neighborhood centers that connect people to locally curated goods, services and experiences. REEF’s network of over 4,800 parking garages is a multi-million parking space system that covers 70 percent of North America’s urban population, yet is largely underutilized given the changing nature of urban living in recent years. Archer and REEF will work together to allow Archer’s aircraft to access largely dormant rooftop sites across some of the most densely populated and heavily congested urban city locations in the U.S., including the company’s two key launch markets of Los Angeles and Miami.
REEF’s network lends itself perfectly to Archer’s plans for developing vertiports in dense urban areas. With proximity to high-traffic city hubs, Archer is looking to establish operations in locations that will benefit most from access to the company’s planned urban air mobility network. Using Prime Radiant, the company’s proprietary data science technology, Archer will determine optimal landing sites within REEF’s existing network. The goal is to identify sites that already have the space needed for takeoff, landing and charging, so minimal construction is required for operations to launch.
“Archer is focused on developing urban aerial ridesharing networks that will ease the issues caused by excessive city congestion,” said Adam Goldstein, co-founder and co-CEO of Archer. “We believe that working with REEF will allow us to accelerate our mission to transition congested urban areas to more sustainable forms of transportation. The ability to build out our early vertiports with light retrofitting of existing structures would allow us to scale operations while maintaining our focus on affordability for our customers. We’re thrilled to announce this strategic relationship as we continue to execute on our roadmap towards bringing urban air mobility to reality.”
“REEF as a company is symbolic of a reef in nature, bringing new life and fostering growth. That’s exactly what we’re working on doing with REEF – taking functional structures and rejuvenating them to open up new possibilities for the populations around them,” said Brett Adcock, co-founder and co-CEO of Archer. “Together we have an opportunity not just to solve logistical issues but to add tangible value to the communities in which we’ll operate.”
“One of REEF's core areas of focus is to reduce traffic congestion and carbon emissions by supporting incredible transportation technologies like those Archer is building,” said George Fallica, REEF’s chief revenue officer. “Archer’s focus on sustainability and transforming the everyday urban travel experience aligns closely with our own mission. We’re excited to be working with them on plans to reshape city landscapes and make existing infrastructure even more functional.”
