Archer Aviation says it hopes to get Abu Dhabi's first flying taxis in the air this year, viewing the technology-obsessed Gulf as the launch pad to show the rest of the world how it is done.
Founder Adam Goldstein told The National the company is “ready to launch” in 2025. The ambitious time frame is based on using the capital's existing helicopter flight paths and air traffic control rather than building a system from scratch.
“We've made great partners with Etihad Aviation Training, all the partners across the entire ecosystem. So, the goal is to really start flying aircraft in Abu Dhabi this year. That's incredibly exciting,” Mr Goldstein told The National at the World Economic Forum in Davos last month.
Archer is backed by car giant Stellantis and Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala. It is collaborating with organisations in the UAE, including the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (Adio), Abu Dhabi Airports, Falcon Aviation Services, Etihad Aviation Training and the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to try and get the first commercially viable electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles off the ground. In Dubai, Joby Aviation, backed by Toyota, is the first operator of flying taxis, with a 2026 launch date.
Mr Goldstein says the first of Archer’s electric aircraft, the Midnight, designed to carry up to four passengers and a pilot with a range of 160km, can be in the skies of Abu Dhabi this year.
“We'll start at really low levels where there's already existing routes, existing air traffic control. And the reason is because helicopters fly every day,” he said.
“We've partnered with the large helicopter companies in Abu Dhabi and we'll largely follow a lot of the same patterns. We'll start small and we'll give plenty of time for the entire ecosystem to evolve with us.”
We'll start small and we'll give plenty of time for the entire ecosystem to evolve with us
Adam Goldstein,
Archer Aviation
Early operations are expected to be from Abu Dhabi airport to the city centre, which is about 30 minutes by car but six or seven minutes in a Midnight eVTOL travelling up to 260 kph. The company says its long-term goal is to replace 60 to 90-minute trips by car with 10 to 20-minute electric air taxis.
Mr Goldstein puts the pricing around the Uber Black range. So passengers could pay about Dh350 ($95) for a flight from Zayed International Airport to Emirates Palace, the luxury hotel on the Corniche.
“These are not just toys for the rich. These are vehicles that are accessible and these are vehicles that are much quieter,” he said.
It is expected there will be just a handful in the air at any time during the early days.
“I think the visions of highways in the sky will come one day, but those might be a few years down the road,” Mr Goldstein said.
Archer is awaiting regulatory approval from Abu Dhabi's authorities. The industry at large has been working towards the point at which the sums add up. Archer and Joby Aviation have drawn in billions of dollars in investment and their share prices surge on the expectation of a launch soon.
“We're at this really interesting point in the industry's life cycle, where you've seen a lot of the key emerging technologies, like battery technology, get to this point – so you can now fly vehicles that make economic sense,” he said.
“At the same time, a lot of the regulation has come into a spot that's been formalised – and Archer has spent a lot of time going through that process to prove that these vehicles are safe.
“As that process has matured, we're now at the stage we're ready to launch. Abu Dhabi has been a great partner to Archer, really for a long time.”
Mr Goldstein says decision-makers in the Emirates and the broader Gulf are ahead when it comes to vision.
“We are acting as a big advertising campaign to the entire GCC. We have incredible new technologies, you have a region that's emerging, and there's an opportunity to launch them in the broader GCC,” he said.
When asked about safety, Mr Goldstein said aerial vehicles have a far stronger record than motor vehicles.
“This is a technology that's been worked on for a very long time. There's been a lot of flight testing that's gone into it, and there will continue to be a lot more flight testing that goes into it,” he said.
The Midnight is flown by a pilot but he envisages no need for human involvement, with many systems on board already automated. Archer has recently signed a $140 million deal with the US Department of Defence to look at how eVTOLs could be used in operations. It delivered the first Midnight aircraft to the US Air Force in August 2024.
Neither Archer nor the US government has said if they see the aircraft being used in warfare, but Mr Goldstein gave an example of their use in rescue missions.
“If you think about areas where there is contested space and you had to go rescue, let's say, soldiers, you might not want to fly in an unmanned vehicle,” he said.
“But you could fly in an unmanned vehicle. And if those vehicles were also substantially lower cost, you're not risking expensive assets or people. There are opportunities here to build new vehicles that will be autonomous, that I think the world will benefit from.”
Video: Dubai airport chief on city's flying taxi network
The%20specs
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: Macan Turbo
Engine: Dual synchronous electric motors
Power: 639hp
Torque: 1,130Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Touring range: 591km
Price: From Dh412,500
On sale: Deliveries start in October
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – UAE won by 36 runs
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
World Cricket League Division 2
In Windhoek, Namibia - Top two teams qualify for the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, which starts on March 4.
UAE fixtures
Thursday February 8, v Kenya; Friday February 9, v Canada; Sunday February 11, v Nepal; Monday February 12, v Oman; Wednesday February 14, v Namibia; Thursday February 15, final
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Profile of Hala Insurance
Date Started: September 2018
Founders: Walid and Karim Dib
Based: Abu Dhabi
Employees: Nine
Amount raised: $1.2 million
Funders: Oman Technology Fund, AB Accelerator, 500 Startups, private backers
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Match info
Who: India v Afghanistan
What: One-off Test match, Bengaluru
When: June 14 to 18
TV: OSN Sports Cricket HD, 8am starts
Online: OSN Play (subscribers only)
About Seez
Company name/date started: Seez, set up in September 2015 and the app was released in August 2017
Founder/CEO name(s): Tarek Kabrit, co-founder and chief executive, and Andrew Kabrit, co-founder and chief operating officer
Based in: Dubai, with operations also in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon
Sector: Search engine for car buying, selling and leasing
Size: (employees/revenue): 11; undisclosed
Stage of funding: $1.8 million in seed funding; followed by another $1.5m bridge round - in the process of closing Series A
Investors: Wamda Capital, B&Y and Phoenician Funds
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
TWISTERS
Director: Lee Isaac Chung
Starring: Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Anthony Ramos
Rating: 2.5/5
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Results
Light Flyweight (49kg): Mirzakhmedov Nodirjon (UZB) beat Daniyal Sabit (KAZ) by points 5-0.
Flyweight (52kg): Zoirov Shakhobidin (UZB) beat Amit Panghol (IND) 3-2.
Bantamweight (56kg): Kharkhuu Enkh-Amar (MGL) beat Mirazizbek Mirzahalilov (UZB) 3-2.
Lightweight (60kg): Erdenebat Tsendbaatar (MGL) beat Daniyal Shahbakhsh (IRI) 5-0.
Light Welterweight (64kg): Baatarsukh Chinzorig (MGL) beat Shiva Thapa (IND) 3-2.
Welterweight (69kg): Bobo-Usmon Baturov (UZB) beat Ablaikhan Zhussupov (KAZ) RSC round-1.
Middleweight (75kg): Jafarov Saidjamshid (UZB) beat Abilkhan Amankul (KAZ) 4-1.
Light Heavyweight (81kg): Ruzmetov Dilshodbek (UZB) beat Meysam Gheshlaghi (IRI) 3-2.
Heavyweight (91kg): Sanjeet (IND) beat Vassiliy Levit (KAZ) 4-1.
Super Heavyweight ( 91kg): Jalolov Bakhodir (UZB) beat Kamshibek Kunkabayev (KAZ) 5-0.
