Archer partners with Falcon Aviation to establish vertiports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi

The US-based electric flying car manufacturer Archer and the UAE-based aviation services provider Falcon Aviation are teaming up to build vertiports, or vertical airports, in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The four-passenger, piloted Archer Midnight aircraft, which is intended for quick back-to-back flights with little charge time in between, will be used by the vertiports to link the two metropolitan areas.

The Falcon Heliport at Atlantis the Palm in Dubai and the Marina Mall Heliport on the Corniche in Abu Dhabi will be the first two vertiport installations. With the use of these vertiports, a 60–90 minute automobile ride should only take an estimated 10–30 minutes by electric air taxi, offering a secure, economical, and noise-free substitute for ground transportation. 

Before the beginning of the flying car service between the two emirates in 2025—which will be Archer's first international launch—the first vertiports are anticipated to be operational. 

The flying car will only fly over water, providing passengers with breath-taking vistas of the Arabian Sea and the towns below. Adam Goldstein, CEO of Archer, expressed enthusiasm about bringing the Midnight plane to the area and envisioned the United Arab Emirates as a pioneer in urban air transportation worldwide.

The Road and Transport Authority (RTA) of Dubai and Joby Aviation, a US-based business creating all-electric aircraft for commercial passenger service, inked a contract in February 2024. 

To start operations in 2025, Joby intends to introduce air taxi services by early 2026. Furthermore, Joby and Skyports have teamed together to plan, develop, and run four vertiport locations in Dubai: Downtown, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Marina, and Dubai International Airport.