Residents of the UAE may soon realize their dream of traveling in a flying car, with plans underway for Archer, a US-based electric flying carmaker, to collaborate with the UAE’s Falcon Aviation to construct vertiports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. These vertiports, or vertical airports, will be linked by Archer’s piloted, four-passenger aircraft called Midnight, designed for quick back-to-back flights with minimal charging time in between.
The first vertiports will be located at Falcon Heliport at Atlantis the Palm in Dubai and the Marina Mall heliport in Abu Dhabi’s Corniche, significantly reducing a 60-90 minute car commute to a mere 10-30 minute electric air taxi flight. Not only will these flights be safe and low-noise, but they are also expected to be cost-competitive with ground transportation.
The vertiports are scheduled to be completed before the launch of the flying car service between the two emirates in 2025, marking Archer’s first international launch. The flying car will operate exclusively over water, offering passengers breathtaking views of the city and the Arabian Sea.
“We look forward to paving the way for the introduction of our Midnight aircraft to the region 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.
Captain Ramandeep Oberoi, CEO of Falcon Aviation, expressed excitement about the collaboration, highlighting Falcon Aviation’s nearly two-decade history of leading helicopter passenger transport in the UAE.
Nikhil Goel, chief commercial officer at Archer, noted the rapid progress made in the UAE since announcing the plans for Abu Dhabi and Dubai to host its first international midnight flights as early as 2025.
In a related development, Joby Aviation, a US-based company developing all-electric aircraft for commercial passenger service, signed an agreement with Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) in February 2024 to launch air taxi services by early 2026, with initial operations targeted for 2025. Joby has also partnered with Skyports to design, build, and operate four vertiport sites across Dubai, including Dubai International Airport, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Marina, and Downtown.