Vertiports for air taxis to appear in Abu Dhabi and Dubai

UAE residents’ dreams of travelling by flying taxi are becoming more and more real, as the Emirates will soon start building the first vertical airports (vertiports) for this innovative transport.

The American manufacturer of airborne electric vehicles Archer in co-operation with the operator of aviation services Falcon Aviation will start the construction of ports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Archer’s Midnight air taxi, a manned, four-seat electric aeroplane designed for fast flights with minimal recharging time, will operate between vertiports in the two cities.

The first vertiports will be built at the Falcon Heliport at Atlantis the Palm in Dubai and the Marina Mall heliport at the Corniche in Abu Dhabi. The innovation will reduce 60-90 minute car journeys to 10-30 minute electric air taxi flights. The flights will be safe, low-noise and cost competitive with ground transport.

Construction is expected to be completed in 2025, well in advance of the launch of flying taxis.

“We look forward to paving the way for the regional introduction of our Midnight aircraft, which will set the stage for the UAE to become a global leader in urban air mobility,” said Adam Goldstein, founder and CEO of Archer.

It is worth recalling that in February 2024, Joby Aviation, a US-based company developing all-electric aircraft for commercial passenger transport, signed an agreement with the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to launch air taxi services by early 2026, with Joby planning to launch operations as early as 2025.

The company has also signed an agreement with Skyports to design, build and operate four vertiports in Dubai – at Dubai International Airport, Palm Jumeirah Island, Dubai Marina and Downtown.

Source: Khaleej Times

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