UAE Officials Support Archer Electric Air Taxi Network in 2025

On Friday, manufacturer Archer Aviation and its partners in Abu Dhabi signed a “cross-industry” agreement it said positions its flagship Midnight air taxi as the first such aircraft to fly in the Emirate. If all goes according to plan, commercial air taxi routes could be operational in Abu Dhabi by next year.

The signing of the agreement was witnessed by the son of Emirati royal and UAE president Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MBZ), the ruler of Abu Dhabi, signalling high-level state support.

“The UAE is a cornerstone of Archer’s future, and these partnerships are key to making that future a reality,” said Nikhil Goel, chief commercialization officer of Archer. “The comprehensive support from our partners, combined with Abu Dhabi's forward-thinking approach to next-gen transportation, creates an ideal environment for launching Midnight.”

Midnight is a fully electric VTOL model designed for a pilot to fly as many as four passengers on short-hop routes in major cities, such as New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles in the U.S. It cruises at about 150 mph (130 knots), in line with a typical helicopter, but Archer claims it will produce far less noise than rotorcraft.

An air taxi trip between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, for example, would take about 30 minutes compared to two hours by car during peak traffic, according to Archer.

The company’s plans for Midnight in the UAE date back to last year, when it formed a relationship with the state-owned Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO). According to the manufacturer, ADIO will pour hundreds of millions of dollars into a regional headquarters, air taxi manufacturing facilities, Midnight pilot training, and the construction of vertiports—specially designed takeoff and landing sites for electric VTOL aircraft.

Archer is also working with Emirati helicopter operator Falcon Aviation, which plans to fly Midnight in Abu Dhabi and Dubai and build vertiports in those cities. The manufacturer picked Abu Dhabi-based Global Aerospace Logistics (GAL) to provide maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services for those operations and Etihad Aviation Training, a subsidiary of the country’s flag carrier, to train Midnight pilots locally. It is working with the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the country’s aviation regulator, to develop a training curriculum.

“We look forward to working with Archer to train pilots and other aviation professionals for their electric air taxis, which we hope will carry passengers to and from many airports and future vertiports in the region in the near future,” Paolo La Cava, CEO of Etihad Aviation Training, said Friday.

Friday’s agreement ties all of these partners together and loops in a few new players, including Abu Dhabi-based air traffic services provider Global Air Navigation Services; Abu Dhabi Mobility, a government-backed entity that oversees the Emirate’s public transportation network; and Abu Dhabi Airports.

The goal is to launch commercial Midnight air taxi routes by next year and establish Archer as the Middle East’s first electric VTOL manufacturer, the company said.

ADIO will take the lead on coordinating the signatories to the agreement, which according to Archer specifies each partner’s job. The firm said the arrangement “lays the foundation” for definitive partnerships to be formed. It also said GCAA officials took a visit to Archer headquarters in California last month, where they began defining a certification pathway and operational framework for Midnight in the UAE.

“We are committed to launching electric air taxis safely in the UAE,” said Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, director general of the GCAA. “[Friday’s] consortium announcement showcases the importance of collaboration across the country’s preeminent aviation entities in order to host Archer’s Midnight in the region next year.”

Archer’s chief air taxi competitor, Joby Aviation, also plans to serve the UAE as early as next year. The manufacturer in February signed what it dubbed an “exclusive” six-year deal with Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority to fly air taxis in the Emirate. Archer founder and CEO Adam Goldstein told FLYING in March that he believes the arrangement won’t stop Midnight from flying there as well.

“I do not believe it will impact our operations in Dubai or our ambitions in Dubai,” Goldstein said. “We believe we will be able to operate there, and we will have a strong hub out of Abu Dhabi. We’re glad to see Joby coming to the region and leaning in, because we think it’s a good early market for eVTOL players to start.”

Like this story? We think you'll also like the Future of FLYING newsletter sent every Thursday afternoon. Sign up now.