California-based Archer Aviation has entered into a multi-party collaboration agreement with key UAE and Abu Dhabi entities to advance the establishment of electric air taxi operations in Abu Dhabi.
The agreement aims to formalise the cooperation between UAE and Abu Dhabi stakeholders in preparation for the launch of the first commercial eVTOL flight. It was signed under the auspices of the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council (SASC), in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, deputy chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs.
The agreement’s goal is for Archer Aviation to be the first manufacturer of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and the first to launch commercial flying taxi operations in the Emirate.
The Abu Dhabi Investment Office, a key signatory to the agreement, will facilitate coordination among Abu Dhabi entities in preparation for launch of commercial operations. Other parties to the agreement include Abu Dhabi Airports (AD Airports), Falcon Aviation Services, Etihad Aviation Training, the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Global Air Navigation Services (GANS), Global Aerospace Logistics (GAL) and the Integrated Transport Centre (Abu Dhabi Mobility).
The collaboration outlines the roles and responsibilities of each party and lays the foundation for definitive agreements between Archer and the commercial stakeholders.
The partnership represents a strong alignment between leading industry entities, and follows a previous collaboration agreement with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office to accelerate air taxi commercialisation.
Nikhil Goel, chief commercial officer of Archer Aviation, emphasised the significance of the consortium, saying: “The UAE is a cornerstone of Archer’s future, and these partnerships are key to making that future a reality. The comprehensive support from our partners, combined with Abu Dhabi's forward-thinking approach to next-gen transportation, creates an ideal environment for launching Midnight.”
The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has been working closely with Archer, mostly recently through the organisation of a week-long workshop at Archer’s headquarters and flight test facility in November 2024. At this workshop the two worked together to establish the necessary regulatory framework to certify Archer’s Midnight aircraft and approve commercial air taxi operations in the UAE.
