Abu Dhabi has bold plans to become the first city in the region to introduce air taxi services with the aircraft from Archer Aviation, a US-based company specializing in electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles.
The Midnight eVTOL is a five-seat aircraft, designed to carry four passengers and one pilot. It can travel distances of up to 100 km at speeds reaching 241 km/h, using today’s battery technology. Built for short, back-to-back flights with minimal recharging time, it is expected to be a game-changer for urban mobility.
Abu Dhabi Aviation (ADA) has signed an agreement with Archer Aviation to bring the Midnight air taxi to the UAE capital. The deal was finalized by Nader Al Hammadi, chairman of ADA, and Badr Al Olama, director-general of the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO). As part of the agreement, ADA will finance the deployment, making it the first regional operator of electric air taxis.
Test flights are set to begin in summer 2025, focusing on evaluating the aircraft’s performance under extreme temperatures before its official rollout. Once operational, Midnight will significantly reduce travel times, cutting commutes that take 60–90 minutes by car down to just 10–20 minutes.
