Trump pushes for drones, stock prices of two major US eVTOL companies surge

The executive order signed by U.S. President Trump last week is sparking a frenzy in the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) sector, with the stock prices of industry leaders Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation soaring over 20% in a week, sending a signal to the market: the era of air taxis may arrive sooner than expected. According to the latest media reports, the executive order document disclosed by the White House shows that the core focus of the order signed by Trump last week is on two main directions: first, to promote the U.S. in catching up with competitors in drone manufacturing and defense; second, to allocate funds to support five key eVTOL projects to accelerate the commercialization process of electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. Reports indicate that Ukraine's drone attacks on Russia have clearly caught Trump's attention, which also explains why the government has elevated electric aviation technology to a national strategic level. The Trump administration's policy boost has directly driven the surge in related concept stocks. In the past week, Joby's stock price rose 23% to $9, while Archer surged 27% to $11.85. Behind this wave of growth is also investors' bet on the endgame of industry reshuffling—of the more than a dozen eVTOL companies that emerged during the 2020 SPAC listing boom, only a few players like Joby and Archer remain with ample cash. According to Canaccord Genuity's research data, as of the end of the first quarter, Archer holds $1 billion in cash through institutional fundraising; Joby, after receiving a recent $250 million investment from Toyota, has reserves of a similar scale, with Toyota planning to add another $250 million within the year. Strong capital supports both companies' quarterly R&D expenditures exceeding $100 million, paving the way for certification by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in 2026. Canaccord Genuity analyst Austin Moeller has given both eVTOL concept stocks a "buy" rating, with a target price of $12 for Joby and $13.50 for Archer. This indicates a potential upside of 33% and 14% from current price levels. eVTOL Commercialization Imminent: Expansion Path from the U.S. to the UAE Moeller predicts that the electric aircraft of Archer and Joby may be operational in the UAE as early as this year and are expected to receive FAA certification by 2026. Both companies have established strategic partnerships with major airlines: Archer is collaborating with United Airlines, while Joby has allied with Delta Airlines. Once FAA certification is obtained, they can provide air taxi services between major cities like New York and Los Angeles and airports These eVTOL aircraft feature a revolutionary design: they take off and land vertically like helicopters, and during cruise, their wings and propellers can rotate to fly like airplanes. They can carry one pilot and four passengers, with a maximum speed of up to 200 miles per hour. Battery power ensures zero emissions and low noise operation