Making of flying taxis in UAE to create jobs
Us-based electric flying carmaker Archer Aviation has received multi-hundred-million dollar investments from Abu Dhabi to manufacture air taxis in UAE and establish its international headquarters in the Emirates.
The investments are also aimed at constructing vertiports in critical locations throughout Abu Dhabi and accelerating Archer’s launch of commercial air taxi operations in the UAE next year.
The financial injection from the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (Adio) comes ahead of Archer’s rollout of commercial air taxi in 2025, using its Midnight aircraft.
The developer of electric vertical takeoff and landing (EVTOL) machines will manufacture its Midnight aircraft in Abu Dhabi.
Adam Goldstein, founder and CEO of Archer, said they are in the advanced stages of the certification process from the US regulatory body and there is now a development of the operational side. “We are in the process of selecting locations and then going to start. There is already one vertiport in Abu Dhabi. We are using infrastructure very similar to helicopter use in addition to charging stations. It is going to start with a small network with 10 and then going to expand it over time. And then connecting different emirates in the next stage.”
There will be thousands of jobs to be created across the ecosystem including manufacturing, maintenance repair, and staff around the vertiport.
The UAE'S aviation authority has granted operational approval for the country's first vertiport. These ports are essential for the vertical takeoff and landing of flying vehicles without traditional aircraft runways, serving as hubs for passenger pick-up, dropoff, and battery charging.
This approval by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) marks a significant milestone in the UAE'S pursuit of innovative transportation solutions and underscores its commitment to advancing autonomous technologies in the transport industry.
Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director-general of the GCAA, said, "This achievement demonstrates the GCAA and industry commitment to accelerating advanced air mobility in the UAE. It underscores our proactive approach to publishing supporting national regulations and laying the groundwork for vertiports' safe and efficient integration into our urban infrastructure. This milestone represents a first step towards unlocking the full potential of advanced air mobility and fostering innovation in the transport industry."
DRIFTX event
The announcement was made at DRIFTX event in Abu Dhabi, an initiative supported by the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) and the Emirate's Smart & Autonomous Vehicle Industry (SAVI) cluster, the vertiport will serve as a focal point for showcasing the latest advancements in autonomous transportation.
Badr Al-olama, Director-general of ADIO, said, "The GCAA has been instrumental in spearheading the development of standards and guidelines that are shaping the nascent advanced mobility sector. Together we will position Abu Dhabi as the capital for developing smart and autonomous mobility solutions. The UAE'S inaugural vertiport marks a significant new milestone for innovative transportation solutions, leveraging the world class infrastructure in Abu Dhabi that will usher in a new era of urban mobility."
This achievement represents a collaborative effort between the GCAA and key stakeholders in the UAE'S transportation and technology sectors. Crucially, this milestone would not have been achievable without the foundation laid by the world's first national regulation on vertiports, introduced by the GCAA in March 2023.
The GCAA has been instrumental in spearheading the development of standards and guidelines that are shaping the nascent advanced mobility sector.” Badr Al-olama Director-general of ADIO