Abu Dhabi plans to build a network of 10 vertiports as infrastructure for upcoming air taxi and eVTOLs (electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft) services, as part of the emirate's push into smart and sustainable air mobility.
Zayed International Airport and Al Bateen Executive Airport have been confirmed as key locations within the broader network, with additional sites and inter-city routes to be revealed in later phases, Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) said in a statement on Tuesday.
The network will connect key urban, business and tourism hubs, including Zayed International Airport, Al Bateen Executive Airport, Yas Island and Saadiyat.
Abu Dhabi Airports will invest in and build the network of vertiports.
“As the anchor delivery partner for Abu Dhabi’s vertiport network, Abu Dhabi Airports will be critical in shaping the infrastructure, operations and commercial readiness of advanced air mobility in the emirate," said state-owned airport operator's managing director and chief executive Elena Sorlini.
The move is part of the UAE's wider smart mobility plans to alleviate road traffic, attract international visitors and offer residents additional transport options.
The Emirates has said it aims to start commercial electric air taxi services in 2026. Earlier this year, California-based Joby Aviation, in partnership with Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority, carried out an electric air taxi test flight. Archer Aviation has also completed its first air taxi test flight in Abu Dhabi.
The UAE's aviation regulator expects to complete certification of air taxis by the third quarter of 2026, Saif Al Suwaidi, director general of the UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority, recently told The National.
The GCAA has developed regulations that allow the integration of eVTOL aircraft into the UAE's civil aviation system, while also adapting existing heliports as part of a comprehensive infrastructure to support air mobility, Mr Al Suwaidi said on Tuesday.
Abu Dhabi's first vertiport was launched by Adio in collaboration with the GCAA, the Integrated Transport Centre (Abu Dhabi Mobility), an affiliate of the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT); and Abu Dhabi Airports.
Zayed International Airport handled 8.35 million passengers in the third quarter of 2025, an increase of 10.4 per cent year-on-year. The airport recorded 49,073 aircraft movements, 5.9 per cent more than in the same quarter of last year.
Also on Tuesday, Adio and China's flying car company Aridge signed a strategic partnership to accelerate the certification, testing and commercial flight of advanced air mobility technologies in Abu Dhabi.
The pact will grant the Guangzhou-based company access to regulatory support, dedicated testing corridors and the emirate’s market for its flying vehicles.
"Aerial vehicles have the potential to redefine transport networks, ease congestion and create new connections across our cities," Badr Al-Olama, director general of Adio, said.
"By creating the regulatory clarity and testing infrastructure that innovators like Aridge need, Abu Dhabi is building a competitive advantage in one of the most transformative technology sectors of this decade.”
