Anduril and Archer Aviation Unveil Thunder Autonomous Attack Drone

Anduril Industries and Archer Aviation unveiled Thunder, an autonomous, hybrid-electric armed tiltrotor drone, at the Farnborough International Airshow. Designed as a loyal wingman for crewed helicopters like the Boeing AH-64 Apache, Anduril Industries developed the aircraft to operate in groups of three to six to increase munitions capacity while reducing pilot risk. The drone can be configured with up to 10 Hellfire missiles, 16 air-launched effects, or 76 rockets, and utilizes Lattice software for autonomy in GPS-denied environments.

The platform is dual-use, featuring a commercial variant called Halo intended for freight, search and rescue, and offshore energy. Archer Aviation CEO Adam Goldstein stated that the defense sector provides a faster path to market because military aircraft bypass the commercial certification required for the company's electric air taxi service, which aims to launch for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Goldstein also credited a national pilot program launched by the Donald Trump administration for accelerating eVTOL industry progress.

Thunder is planned for its first flight in 2027, with full production targeted for 2029 to 2030. Following the announcement, Archer Aviation's stock rose more than 20%. The partnership allows Archer to diversify into defense and heavy-duty commercial markets while navigating certification delays in the urban air taxi sector.