Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), through its Aviation Safety Office, accepted on August 21, 2026 the type certification application submitted by US-based Archer Aviation for its electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft Midnight (model M001). It is the fifth eVTOL certification application received by the Japanese authorities.
Type certification is the process by which the regulator verifies that an aircraft’s design meets safety and environmental compatibility standards. The MLIT will conduct the review in parallel with the aircraft’s development, in coordination with the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Midnight features
The Midnight is an eVTOL powered by 12 electric propulsion units: six tilting units on the forward wing and six fixed units on the rear. It is designed for urban air taxi operations with one pilot and up to four passengers.
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According to data provided by Archer and verified by the MLIT’s Aviation Office:
Maximum take-off weight: approximately 2,950 kg (prototype test values, subject to change).Maximum speed: 240 km/h.Range: around 160 km (depending on weather conditions and payload).Maximum useful load: about 454 kg.Certification history in Japan
The previous eVTOL type certification applications accepted by Japan are:
SkyDrive SD-05 (Japan), October 29, 2021.Joby Aviation Joby S4 (US), October 18, 2022.Volocopter VC2-1 (Germany), February 21, 2023.Vertical Aerospace VX4 (United Kingdom), March 29, 2023.Commercial context and plans in Japan
Archer Aviation, founded in 2018 in California and led by CEO Adam Goldstein, has more than 1,100 employees and develops both civil and defense eVTOL aircraft.
Its strategic partner in Japan is Soracle, a joint venture created in June 2024 by Japan Airlines (JAL) and Sumitomo Corporation. In November 2024 both companies signed a memorandum of understanding that includes purchase rights for up to 100 Midnight units. Soracle plans to begin commercial operations primarily in the Osaka Bay area, with agreements already signed with the prefecture and city governments of Osaka, Osaka Metro (use of the OSAKAKO vertiport) and a lease contract for the Osaka heliport as a maintenance base.
The consortium led by JAL was also selected for Tokyo’s eVTOL implementation project (phase 1, 2025-2027), with the Midnight as the planned aircraft, aimed at commercial operations in urban areas by 2030.
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Archer is also advancing in parallel with FAA certification (it completed Phase 3 of the four-phase process and is now in Phase 4 of formal testing) and is working to obtain a restricted type certificate in the United Arab Emirates. The acceptance of the application in Japan marks the formal start of the review process by the Japanese authorities, a key step toward the future commercial implementation of advanced air mobility (AAM) in the country.