Air taxi company set for 2025 Abu Dhabi launch aims to be Uber of the skies

Californian air taxi company Archer Aviation said it is “on track” to begin commercial operations in Abu Dhabi before the end of 2025, after revealing it is in final stages of the licensing approval process with US authorities.

Nikhil Goel, chief commercial officer at Archer Aviation, told The National in an interview that they will begin operations in Abu Dhabi initially, with prices being aimed at Dh300 to Dh350 for inner-city travel.

The company, which trades on the New York Stock Exchange as ACHR, has long-term plans to launch services from the capital to other emirates, focusing on high-demand routes such as Abu Dhabi to Dubai, with prices ranging from Dh800 to Dh1,500.

“We’re on the final stages of FAA (US Federal Aviation Administration) approval,” said Mr Goel.

“And then the process that we're undergoing with the GCAA (UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority), puts us on a timeline to where we can commercially launch towards the end of 2025 or the beginning of 2026.”

The electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft will help with traffic woes and help to reduce travel time, taking only 20 to 30 minutes to reach Dubai from Abu Dhabi, instead of an hour.

Archer's Midnight aircraft can carry up to four passengers, plus the pilot, and can fly up to 161km at a maximum speed of 241 kph.

But before the air taxi can take to the skies, the company needs to get licensing approval from the FAA, which is known to have stringent regulations.

The approvals require detailed scrutiny of aircraft design, safety redundancies and operational protocols, making the process lengthy and complex.

Safety first approach

Archer Aviation has already received key approvals from the authority to operate as a commercial body.

The company is now focused on earning full certification for its Midnight aircraft, including flight tests to prove “airworthiness” and a production certificate.

“Safety is one of the most critical parts of our aircraft, and it's why these electric air taxis are in such high demand,” said Mr Goel.

“Because instead of a helicopter, which has hundreds of what are called single fault parts, meaning that if one of those parts were to fail, they'd be catastrophic.

“Our air taxis, because they're all electric, can have a dozen electric propellers, and what that means is you have full redundancy.

“So, if there were to be any failure on the aircraft, you would still be able to safely fly and land.”

Once it meets the full licensing requirements by the FAA, the company will look to get certified from the GCAA so that it can begin commercial operations in the Emirates.

Archer Aviation recently announced its new UAE lead Dr Talib Alhinai, who currently serves on the board of the directors for the GCAA.

The company said that he will be responsible for spearheading the planned launch of its air taxis.

The Abu Dhabi Investment office is also working with the company to make the capital its first international launch partner, with plans to establish its first international headquarters and manufacturing facilities in the city.

Joby Aviation, another company developing air taxis, is planning to launch operations in Dubai by 2026. It is also seeking the FAA and GCAA approvals.

“As part of this process, we will carry out hundreds of tests and analyses covering every system of our aircraft and submit the results to the GCAA for independent verification,” Anthony Khoury, UAE general manager at Joby, told The National in an interview last week.

The company has not revealed specific pricing, but said that its long-term goal is to offer pricing similar to ground-based alternatives.

Mr Goel said that Archer also wants to bring the cost of urban air transportation "to be comparable to a car".

"At the outset, will be very similarly priced to, say, an Uber Black or a premium town car," he said.

"And then over time when we make our operations more efficient, our goal is to be comparable to the price of a taxi or an Uber."

He said they have calculated the pricing based on the cost of operating the aircraft and supporting expenses like energy and landing fees.

"Everything is subject to be confirmed, but that's our price estimate," he said.

Both companies are planning services that would integrate seamlessly with the existing transport infrastructure of the country, including taking off from and landing at vertiports located in strategic points where ground transport is easily accessible.

Joby, for example, will launch from the Dubai International Airport, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Downtown and Dubai Marina in the first phase of its operations.

Meanwhile, Archer’s operations will focus on Abu Dhabi when first launching services.

“Imagine that you land at the Abu Dhabi International Airport, and instead of having to take a 45-minute to an hour car ride to the Emirates Palace, you take a transfer on an Archer flight,” said Mr Goel.

“And within five to eight minutes, you’re there at Emirates Place, so you’ve 30 to 45 minutes and made it a seamless experience.”