Archer Aviation to launch first commercial eVTOL flight in Abudhabi in first quarter of 2026

In order to promote the development of electric air taxi operations in Abu Dhabi, Archer Aviation Inc. announced on Friday that it has signed a multiparty partnership agreement with important UAE and Abu Dhabi organizations. In anticipation of the first commercial eVTOL flight's launch in the first quarter of 2026 (Q1 2026), the agreement seeks to formally establish collaboration between all UAE and Abu Dhabi parties.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs, was present when the agreement was signed under the authority of the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council (SASC). As a result of the agreement, Archer Aviation will be the first to establish local manufacturing capabilities for full eVTOL production, start the first commercial flying taxi operations in the emirate, and become the first manufacturer of vertical electric vehicles in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region.

One of the agreement's principal signatories, the Abu Dhabi Investment Office, will help coordinate efforts among Abu Dhabi firms in advance of the start of commercial operations in Q1 2026. Abu Dhabi Airports (AD Airports), Falcon Aviation Services, Etihad Aviation Training, Etihad Airways, the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Global Air Navigation Services (GANS), and the Integrated Transport Centre (Abu Dhabi Mobility) are among the other parties to the agreement, which together form a strong ecosystem for eVTOL development. The partnership establishes the parameters for final agreements between Archer and the business stakeholders and delineates the duties and obligations of each participant.