Archer Aviation to launch First eVTOL Aircraft in UAE

The California-based Archer Aviation on Thursday announced the Launch Edition commercialisation program for its “Midnight” aircraft and Abu Dhabi Aviation (ADA), the largest commercial helicopter operator in the Middle East, is Archer Aviation’s first customer, with plans to deploy an initial fleet of “Midnight” aircraft later this year.

The goal of this program is to establish a pragmatic and repeatable commercialization playbook to deploy Midnight in dozens of early adopter markets in advance of type certification of the aircraft by the FAA.

Archer team will now work together with ADA to fly “Midnight” aircraft in the UAE in the coming months, targeting a passenger flight in Abu Dhabi later this year. The two will also collaborate across pilot training, flight operations and community engagement.

In addition to the Launch Edition aircraft, Archer plans to provide ADA with a team of pilots, technicians and engineers to support the initial operational ramp, helping ensure a safe and efficient deployment.

Archer also plans to provide backend software infrastructure and front-end booking application to help power urban air mobility operations during the Launch Edition program.

The partnership between Archer and ADA was formalised on Thursday during a signing ceremony alongside the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), where ADA signed a memorandum of understanding setting forth a framework to fund the deployment of the “Midnight” Launch Edition aircraft.

Region’s First EVTOL

ADA Chairman Nader Al Hammadi said that they have been observing the advancements in eVTOL technology for years, and were proud to partner with Archer to bring this innovation to the UAE. ADA has the expertise to develop a scalable urban air mobility service and we are excited to lead the way in launching the region’s first electric air taxi service, starting in Abu Dhabi, he said.

Archer will continue to work closely with ADA, the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and its other established partners in the region on its goal of launching electric air taxis in Abu Dhabi this year.

Archer’s Chief Technology Officer Tom Muniz said that the company was on track to deliver its first Midnight aircraft to Abu Dhabi this summer. “With that aircraft, we will focus our efforts on testing it in high temperature operations, as conditions there can exceed 110 degrees Fahrenheit,” Muniz told investors during the conference call on Thursday.

“Subsequent to that, we plan to start flights in and around cities in the UAE, performing proving runs to and from some of the locations on our intended network and performing market survey flights with limited passenger operations, working towards our ultimate commercial launch.”

Archer’s CEO and Founder Adam Goldstein said that the unveiling of “Launch Edition” program marks the beginning of the next chapter for his company.

In addition to the early aircraft deliveries, “Launch Edition” customers will receive support from Archer and local partners such as Etihad Aviation Training, which has agreed to train and recruit eVTOL pilots for Archer.

“This is how we will bring Midnight from the manufacturing line to our first customers—and it’s a playbook we will run repeatedly as we scale our operations globally. Thank you to ADA for being our first Launch Edition customer. We have a big year ahead,” Goldstein said.

Archer’s goal is to transform urban travel, replacing 60–90-minute commutes by car with estimated 10–20-minute electric air taxi flights that are safe, sustainable, low noise and cost-competitive with ground transportation.

Archer’s “Midnight” aircraft is a piloted, four-passenger aircraft designed to perform rapid back-to-back flights with minimal charge time between flights.