Editor-Curated Robotics Industry Briefing - RobotToday

Archer Launches Halo, a Commercial Autonomous VTOL Developed with Anduril

Archer Aviation has introduced Halo, a commercial variant of its dual-use autonomous VTOL platform, developed in collaboration with Anduril Industries. The announcement was made on July 22, 2026, during the Farnborough International Airshow, following Anduril's unveiling of the defense variant, Thunder. Halo is designed for both defense and commercial markets, featuring a hybrid powertrain and configurable payloads. The significance of Halo lies in its innovative design and capabilities, which combine long range, high speed, and heavy modular payloads. Archer's eight years of eVTOL development have culminated in this platform, which utilizes a series hybrid-electric powertrain and dual tiltrotors for efficiency and noise reduction. The aircraft is engineered for low-cost, high-volume production, leveraging commercial supply chains and existing manufacturing partnerships. Looking ahead, Archer has named Marubeni Aerospace Corporation as its first strategic partner for Halo, focusing on market research and use case identification. The platform targets various commercial logistics segments, including offshore energy resupply and humanitarian missions. No further timeline was disclosed at the time of publication.