Anduril and Archer Aviation have unveiled the defence variant of their brand-new jointly-developed autonomous VTOL aircraft platform, Thunder.
A Group 5 autonomous attack rotorcraft specifically designed to multiply the combat power of current and next-generation crewed attack and assault aircraft, the unit has been built to serve both defence and commercial applications.
The new unit aims to perform as a ‘new class’ of autonomous aircraft with improved speed, range, payload and operating costs, with Archer stating that it will announce its first commercial partners for the platform later this week.
Thunder builds on a dual-use platform developed by Archer and Anduril, and utilises a series hybrid-electric powertrain, enabling significant range and endurance whilst maintaining the necessary precision to closely optimise power through the full range of flight conditions.
Dual tilrotors vary RPM in order to maintain efficiency across flight regimes, reducing overall power demand and fuel burn in cruise and minimising acoustic signatures to enhance survivability at low-altitude ingress. The configuration of the tilrotors aims to combine vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) with efficient wingborne cruise, allowing for runway-independent operations from austere locations without the range constraints of traditional rotorcraft.
Shane Arnott, SVP of Maneuver Dominance at Anduril, said:From raw performance to producibility, harnessing the best technologies from the commercial eVTOL market for defense is central to how Thunder will deliver operational value to our customers. The clean-sheet, dual-use platform that we’ve built with Archer truly represents a step change in capability.
Currently, Thunder’s first flight is planned for 2027, with the team responsible already having completed multiple test flights with full-scale surrogate aircraft.
