eVTOL developer Archer Aviation has solidified an existing partnership in the Abu Dhabi region of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Today, the company announced a new multi-party collaboration agreement with key UAE and Abu Dhabi entities in order to establish evTOL air taxi operations in that area of the Middle East. In doing so, Archer would become the first eVTOL network to begin commercial air taxi flights in Abu Dhabi and intends to do so “as soon as possible.”
Today’s news builds upon Archer Aviation’s ($ACHR) growing presence in the UAE dating back to October 2023, when the company announced an initial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to implement the necessary infrastructure to enable commercial air taxi services in Abu Dhabi by 2026.
A month later, Archer announced a second MOU with Air Chateau, a private aviation operator local to the UAE, that included terms for the purchase of up to 100 of Archer’s Midnight aircraft, valued at around $500 million.
Since then, Archer has shared plans for expansion to other global regions such as India, South Korea, and part of the US, including Los Angeles. Today, however, Archer has set its focus back on the United Arab Emirates, inking yet another more formal agreement to officially begin commercial air taxi operations.
Archer looks to begin eVTOL air taxi rides in the UAE
According to news shared by Archer Aviation today, it has signed an agreement to formalize the previously mentioned cooperation between UAE and Abu Dhabi stakeholders in preparation for the launch of initial commercial eVTOL flights.
The agreement was recently signed “under the auspices” of the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council (SASC) with His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs, looking on.
With the formalized agreement now in place, Archer looks to establish itself as the first manufacturer of eVTOL aircraft in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and the first to launch commercial flying taxi operations in the Emirate. Archer’s chief commercial officer, Nikhil Goel spoke about the achievement:
The UAE is a cornerstone of Archer’s future, and these partnerships are key to making that future a reality. The comprehensive support from our partners, combined with Abu Dhabi’s forward-thinking approach to next-gen transportation, creates an ideal environment for launching Midnight.
The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has been working closely with Archer since the announcement of the initial MoU in 2023 to establish the necessary regulatory framework to certify the latter’s Midnight aircraft and approve commercial air taxi operations in the UAE. As previously stated, Archer will look to get its eVTOLs certified for commercial flights as soon as possible with the assistance of the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), which will facilitate a safe launch.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
