In the next 18 to 24 months, much of the airspace of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) might be buzzing with eVTOL aircraft. The country is well in front of many others in the world when it comes to introducing large-scale advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft.
April saw a flurry of announcements in the UAE by some of the most well-known eVTOL firms — most of them made at the DRIFTx event in the capital city/emirate of Abu Dhabi.
Among them was Joby Aviation, announcing an agreement with various city departments to establish and scale air taxi services in Abu Dhabi and beyond. Joby also has exclusive rights to operate air taxis in Dubai for six years from the start of its operations there.
Archer Aviation announced plans to launch air taxi operations across the Abu Dhabi region, perhaps as early as the end of 2025. The company said its agreement with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) includes “multi hundred-million-dollar” investments to support the development and commercialization of its four-passenger Midnight aircraft. Archer also plans to establish its international headquarters in Abu Dhabi and carry out in-country manufacturing.
Archer’s partnership with ADIO started in 2023 and builds on other partnerships it’s made in the country. Air Chateau International, for example, plans to purchase up to 100 Midnight aircraft to operate in the Abu Dhabi area. Archer is also working with ADIO and Falcon Aviation to develop a vertiport network in the UAE.
On the pilot front, in May, Archer announced it would partner with Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Aviation Training to recruit and train pilots for Midnight. The eVTOL firm will deliver a Midnight simulator to Etihad Training for research and development (R&D) of pilot training competencies and to support the required regulatory certifications.
EHang and others
Also at DRIFTx, EHang announced a collaboration with ADIO and the Multi Level Group (MLG), a subsidiary of Ethmar International Holding (EIH), to drive eVTOL development in the UAE and beyond in several ways. EHang will set up its regional headquarters in Abu Dhabi to promote business activities with ADIO and MLG, including manufacturing, flight operations, R&D, training and maintenance.
“ADIO will provide important support for us to enter and enhance our presence in Abu Dhabi, including providing data and information related to establishing and operating a manufacturing and industrial services business in Abu Dhabi, setting up enablement and links with the Abu Dhabi ecosystem, and international trade opportunities,” an EHang spokesperson said.
In early May, EHang, with the support of local partners, completed the first air taxi demo flight in Abu Dhabi, under approval from the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). It was also the region’s first passenger-carrying air taxi demo flight.
“Following this achievement, we will actively promote collaboration and communication between the GCAA and the Civil Aviation Administration of China,” the EHang spokesperson said.
EHang has also established a partnership with Wings Logistics Hub, the technology arm of EIH, to facilitate local certification and operations of the EH216 eVTOL aircraft in the UAE. The Hub will purchase up to 100 of EHang’s EH216 aircraft.
“These pilotless eVTOLs will be deployed after obtaining local certification for future operations in the UAE, encompassing passenger transportation, aerial logistics and firefighting,” said the spokesperson. In early 2024, EHang already delivered five EH216s to the Hub for testing, training and certification purposes.
In close coordination with these partners and government entities in the UAE, EHang is also actively involved in designing and establishing vertiports.
Meanwhile, in 2023, UPS announced a collaboration with Beta Technologies to test eVTOL aircraft in the UAE. Other companies interested in the area include Eve Air Mobility, VPorts, Skyportz and Skyports.
Why the UAE leads
Simply put, the UAE is leading in AAM planning because leaders have taken concrete steps to support companies to operate there — including substantial investments in vertiports and much more.
Archer’s framework agreement with ADIO, for example, will see ADIO subsidize eVTOL operations and help build out the AAM workforce. As mentioned, the Archer-ADIO agreement also includes multiple hundred-million-dollar investments to support the development and commercialization of the Midnight, with manufacture in UAE to follow.
Putting aside the UAE’s substantial capacity to offer financial support to the eVTOL sector, EHang also recognizes that Abu Dhabi and the UAE “align perfectly with our criteria for service launch,” said a company spokesperson, in terms of significant urban air traffic and a rapidly-expanding population.
But for his part, Nayef Shahin, ADIO director of innovation and knowledge, explained that Abu Dhabi is actively working to be an attractive and world-first launch market for eVTOL operations as part of a larger shift.
“Abu Dhabi is transforming into an export-driven, resilient economy, empowered by a highly-skilled workforce to leverage advanced technologies and emerging disruptive economic trends,” he said. “The Emirates is focusing on creating economic clusters of the future to overcome global challenges.”
This includes the establishment in 2023 of the Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industry (SAVI) cluster, intended to be a global hub for smart and autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions across air, land and sea.
According to Shahin, the SAVI cluster “cuts across traditional economic sectors, reflecting the reality of the interconnectedness of industries and the businesses within them.”
He added that with SAVI, “we have prioritized R&D. We have the capabilities to test products and we’re now developing manufacturing capabilities,” Shahin reported. “We’re also collaborating with all necessary private and public stakeholders to ensure our innovative solutions have real-world impact. The cluster supports the Emirates’ aim to spearhead the advancement and implementation of the next era of advanced mobility solutions.”
Consensus
In his view, in holding its inaugural DRIFTx event this year, Abu Dhabi was “provided the consensus that flying taxis will be a popular mode of transport in the UAE and globally, much sooner than expected.”
Shahin pointed to a number of “firsts” that were featured at DRIFTx. For example, the UAE’s first operational eVTOL vertiport was unveiled by ADIO in collaboration with GCAA and the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT), represented by Abu Dhabi Mobility, a DMT affiliate.
And as mentioned, Abu Dhabi concluded a number of agreements at DRIFTx with key AAM players, such as Archer, MLG and EHang. These collaborations, Shahin said, “will play a key role in driving Abu Dhabi’s efforts in promoting eVTOLs to transform the way people and goods are transported and in advancing the future of mobility globally.”
In Dubai
Similarly to what the UAE as a whole and Abu Dhabi are doing, a Joby spokesperson noted that government officials in Dubai have consistently demonstrated their commitment to being world leaders in the adoption of eVTOL technology.
“Our agreement [for exclusive air taxi operation for six years from start of operation] is supported at the very highest levels and delivers on all three pillars required to successfully launch an air taxi service,” the spokesperson said. “These are a definitive path to operations, well-placed infrastructure supported by dedicated partners, and an aircraft with the capacity and range to deliver meaningful journeys. Additionally, the Dubai government has a clear vision of how to integrate this new technology into existing forms of transport.”
The near and long-term future
Looking at the entire UAE region, Shahin believes eVTOLs will be a key element of the future of mobility through their ability to create new high-speed travel routes versus focusing on ground transport.
“Through leveraging eVTOLs, we can develop a regional network of hubs that could connect cities and suburbs across the entire region, enhancing transport and trade and promoting cross-border partnerships,” he said. “The ultimate aim is to provide a practical mode of affordable transport to relieve the strains on existing transport infrastructure.”
Looking at Abu Dhabi in the near future, Shahin said specifically that “Archer is looking to transform urban travel in the region, replacing 60- to 90-minute commutes by car with estimated 10- to 20-minute electric air taxi flights that are safe, sustainable, low noise and cost-competitive with ground transportation.”
As for further into the future, Shahin said “the possibilities are endless for eVTOLs. We anticipate that they will play a significant role in enhancing both cargo and personal mobility over the next decade.”