Abu Dhabi's first electric flying taxi could be taking off before the end of 2025
Get ready for takeoff.
The UAE is inching closer to the flying taxi future we've all been waiting for, with Archer Aviation announcing that trial flights for its all-electric air taxi, Midnight, are set to launch in Abu Dhabi before the end of 2025.
That's right, electric aircraft – also known as eVTOLs (electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles) – could soon be zipping above the capital, offering short-hop urban transport that's as green as it is futuristic.
Speaking at the Make it in the Emirates Forum, Dr. Talib Alhinai, Archer's General Manager, confirmed the milestone marks a major leap for the UAE's urban air mobility ambitions.
Credit: Archer.com
Designed to carry four passengers and a pilot, the Midnight aircraft lifts off and lands like a helicopter but cruises like a plane. With 12 electric motors, a fixed wing and clever engineering that transitions from vertical to horizontal flight in just 45 seconds, this little aircraft packs a serious high-tech punch. Oh, and it's 100 percent electric.
Initial test flights will begin in unpopulated areas, gradually expanding into urban airspace as part of a phased rollout. While there's no set date yet for when you'll be able to hail one like a flying Uber, the groundwork is very much in motion.
Archer has also opened a new manufacturing hub in Georgia, USA, with a current capacity of 650 aircraft a year and ambitious plans to scale up to 2,400. And yes, a potential UAE-based production facility is in the works too. A framework agreement has already been signed with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office to set up a local research centre and explore manufacturing options.
From the looks of it, the sky isn't the limit – it's the next commute.
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