Air taxi makers promise Dubai-Abu Dhabi commute in 30 minutes

Archer Aviation

• Air taxi service to start next year
• Vertiports planned for two cities
• Deal between Archer of US and UAE’s Falcon

Flying cars could cut the commute between Dubai and Abu Dhabi to 30 minutes next year after a deal between Archer Aviation of the US and the UAE’s Falcon Aviation.

Under the agreement, the two will develop air taxi vertiports at the Falcon heliport at Atlantis the Palm in Dubai and the Marina Mall heliport on the Corniche in Abu Dhabi.

A vertiport is a micro-scale airport for vertical take-off and landing aircraft.

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Falcon Aviation’s CEO, Ramandeep Oberoi, described the partnership as “a leap into the future”.

Archer’s Midnight flying car could be up and running by next year, a statement from the two companies said. The UAE air taxi service will operate almost entirely over water.

The piloted aircraft can carry four passengers and is designed to perform rapid back-to-back flights with minimal charge time between flights.

• Dubai to have flying taxi services by early 2025

• Flying taxis ‘within a decade’ says Saudi Arabia

• French and Italian firms to test flying taxis in Abu Dhabi

Last October Archer signed an agreement with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office, the UAE’s largest sovereign wealth fund, to set up a manufacturing centre in Abu Dhabi.

Archer’s goal is to replace commutes by car of up to 90 minutes with 10 to 30-minute electric air taxi flights that they say will be safe, sustainable, low-noise and cost-competitive with ground transport.

Last month the New York Stock Exchange-listed company Joby Aviation revealed plans to launch air taxi services in Dubai by early 2025, part of an agreement with Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority.

Joby also signed an agreement with Skyports to design, build and operate four vertiport sites across the emirate, at Dubai International Airport, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Marina and Dubai Downtown with a view to produce more.

A report from the consultancy MarketsandMarkets has predicted that the global flying car market will grow from $74 million in 2022 to $921 million by 2030.

Archer’s chief commercial officer, Nikhil Goel, said: “We’re proud to be the first to announce plans to operate between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, along with vertiport infrastructure at both ends of the commuter journey.”