Archer to Begin Its First Middle East Flying Taxi Trials in UAE This Summer
The US-based electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) manufacturer Archer Aviation is set to begin its first Middle East flying taxi trials at Al Ain, UAE, in a few months’ time, according to the khaleejtimes.com. The tests will start ahead of the roll-out of a full service at the end of this year.
While the latter sounds a very optimistic aim, Adam Goldstein, Founder and CEO of Archer, told the outlet, “The trial phase will begin during this year’s third quarter. We’ve been working with the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) for some years, where the organisation has carved out a regulatory pathway to help us launch here in the UAE as early as this year.”
He continued, “We’re in the final stages of that approval. We’re going to start flying first remotely in Al Ain before bringing it to Abu Dhabi.”
Goldstein has been attending the fourth edition of ‘Make it in The Emirates Exhibition and Conference’ this week. Located at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec), a full-size Midnight Aircraft is on display, where visitors can view it close-up.
Goldstein added, “We’ll start relatively small and see how the operations will work. We will get the communities involved and show how safe and quiet the aircraft is. And then the goal is to scale it up over time. We’ll start with different points of interest in Abu Dhabi, and then ultimately the goal is to be able to expand.”
Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Credit: Adnec)
Meanwhile, the GCAA has approved Archer’s design for the planned transformation of an Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal helipad into a hybrid heliport for both helicopter and eVTOL aircraft operations.
Archer’s Midnight aims to reduce the 2-3 hour journey between Dubai and Abu Dhabi to just 20 minutes. Replying to a query about the airfare cost, Goldstein said the target prices are similar to the high end of a taxi ride-share. People will be able to book a flight through Archer’s app or an app provided by its Abu Dhabi partner.
He remarked, “There are lots of different pricing schemes that people are working on, much like you see in the rideshare. Depending on supply and demand, different operators will help set the price. For example, we’re partnering with Abu Dhabi Aviation, so they’ll likely be the ones forming a lot of these cost dynamics.”
Furthermore, he stated that the US company will begin assembling the Midnight in the UAE later this year.
“We’ll start the assembly here this year. Low-scale at first, then work through and ultimately scale it up,” Goldstein pointed out.
“Over the long term, the ultimate aim is to manufacture here in Abu Dhabi and create a lot of jobs in the region. So, make this not just a product to fly here, but to be sold all over the world.”
Adam Goldstein (Credit: Archer Aviation)
Lastly, he affirmed, “The UAE has incredible trade agreements with a lot of different countries, even beyond the GCC. So there’s a great opportunity here to manufacture and then ultimately export globally.”
Archer’s long-term aim and Goldstein’s vision “is to create the next Seattle, the next Toulouse, a place where new, innovative aviation companies can come and build, and create a major market in the Middle East and ultimately a whole new world industry.”
For more information
(Top image: Midnight Aircraft displayed at Adnec Centre – Credit: khaleejtimes.com)