Archer Aviation looks to be first in air in UAE with Abu Dhabi's flying taxis


Rory Reynolds
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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.

The Midnight eVOTL air taxi by Archer Aviation during a test flight. Photo: Archer Aviation
The Midnight eVOTL air taxi by Archer Aviation during a test flight. Photo: Archer Aviation

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

Test

Director: S Sashikanth

Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan

Star rating: 2/5

While you're here
Yahya Al Ghassani's bio

Date of birth: April 18, 1998

Playing position: Winger

Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda

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The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer

Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000

Engine 3.6L V6

Transmission: Six-speed automatic

Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm

Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm

Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km

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Director: M Night Shyamalan

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A major shake-up of government-run schools was rolled out across the country in 2017. Known as the Emirati School Model, it placed more emphasis on maths and science while also adding practical skills to the curriculum.

It was accompanied by the promise of a Dh5 billion investment, over six years, to pay for state-of-the-art infrastructure improvements.

Aspects of the school model will be extended to international private schools, the education minister has previously suggested.

Recent developments have also included the introduction of moral education - which public and private schools both must teach - along with reform of the exams system and tougher teacher licensing requirements.

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Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

Where can I submit a sample?

Volunteers can now submit DNA samples at a number of centres across Abu Dhabi. The programme is open to all ages.

Collection centres in Abu Dhabi include:

  • Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC)
  • Biogenix Labs in Masdar City
  • Al Towayya in Al Ain
  • NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City
  • Bareen International Hospital
  • NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain
  • NMC Royal Medical Centre - Abu Dhabi
  • NMC Royal Women’s Hospital.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

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2.

China

3.

UAE

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Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

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Electric scooters: some rules to remember
  • Riders must be 14-years-old or over
  • Wear a protective helmet
  • Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
  • Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
  • Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
  • Do not drive outside designated lanes
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CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections" 

SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom" 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: 2019 BMW i8 Roadster

Price, base: Dh708,750

Engine: 1.5L three-cylinder petrol, plus 11.6 kWh lithium-ion battery

Transmission: Six-speed automatic

Power: 374hp (total)

Torque: 570Nm (total)

Fuel economy, combined: 2.0L / 100km

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

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What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

Ferrari
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The specs: 2018 Opel Mokka X

Price, as tested: Dh84,000

Engine: 1.4L, four-cylinder turbo

Transmission: Six-speed auto

Power: 142hp at 4,900rpm

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Price, base / as tested Dh395,000 / Dh420,000

Engine 3.5L V6

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The Perfect Couple

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor

Creator: Jenna Lamia

Rating: 3/5

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

LA LIGA FIXTURES

Friday Valladolid v Osasuna (Kick-off midnight UAE)

Saturday Valencia v Athletic Bilbao (5pm), Getafe v Sevilla (7.15pm), Huesca v Alaves (9.30pm), Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid (midnight)

Sunday Real Sociedad v Eibar (5pm), Real Betis v Villarreal (7.15pm), Elche v Granada (9.30pm), Barcelona v Levante (midnight)

Monday Celta Vigo v Cadiz (midnight)

Updated: February 12, 2025, 5:53 AM`