The UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority has announced a framework to regulate the use of electric and conventional helicopters in the Emirates.
The rollout of the regulations will allow both electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and conventional helicopters to operate interchangeably on the same infrastructure.
The announcement came as two test flights took place in the UAE in recent days. On Monday, California-based Joby Aviation, in partnership with Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority, carried out an electric air taxi test flight ahead of a planned launch of commercial operations next year. Archer Aviation completed the first test flight in Abu Dhabi of its air taxi on Wednesday.
“The UAE has always been at the forefront of excellence in aviation. This pioneering regulatory framework does not merely enable new technology; it redefines how aviation evolves,” said Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, director general of the GCAA.
“It reflects our commitment to innovation in developing a supportive ecosystem for the growth of this vital sector and a future where advanced air mobility is seamlessly integrated into our national infrastructure.”
The newly announced regulations will allow for dual-use between conventional helicopter pads and electric vertical take-off and landing pads.
The framework will enable the UAE to adopt a flexible regulatory environment that keeps pace with emerging technologies without compromising safety standards, said Aqeel Al Zarouni, assistant director general for aviation safety affairs at the GCAA.
Taking flight
Wednesday's test flight in Abu Dhabi took place at the capital’s Al Bateen Executive Airport with the operation designed to put the aircraft through hot weather testing as anticipation builds for the eventual launch of commercial flights.
The eVTOL aircraft − called Midnight − was unpiloted but it is expected that commercial flights, once approved, will be piloted.
It is hoped that air taxis could bolster public transport options and ease congestion on the roads as Abu Dhabi’s population continues to surge.
The California-based air taxi company, which has completed tests in the US, said its vision is to replace 60 to 90-minute car journeys with 10 to 20-minute electric air taxi trips. Images showed the aircraft soaring over the city adjacent to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
During the flight, technicians tested its performance under extreme heat, humidity, dust and other conditions.
“What we’ve seen today is the first step towards launching electric air taxis in Abu Dhabi,” Talib Alhinai, general manager for Archer Aviation in the UAE, told The National, adding it was “the first of many flights that we hope to do in this country”.
“We're very excited to test our aircraft in the hottest months of the year and, if we can show that we can be ready for these conditions, it means … we can operate anywhere, anytime.”
Archer said Midnight can carry four passengers and a pilot, is fully electric, has a potential range of about 150km and can fly at speeds of up to 241kph. It can perform both vertical and conventional take-off and landing with Wednesday's test being a vertical take-off.
The test flight supports Archer's partnership with Abu Dhabi Aviation, which aims to establish air taxi services in Abu Dhabi. The company is working with authorities to launch in Abu Dhabi – the first market in the world that Archer will launch in – and the aircraft will be going through the full approvals process by the UAE's aviation regulator General Civil Aviation Authority before any commercial services start.
The launch of air taxis has been eagerly anticipated in the UAE for years. It comes as the population of Abu Dhabi continues to surge with major knock-on effects for public transport but much work remains such as developing the vertiport network.
While Archer would not reveal a precise launch date for commercial services, Mr Alhinai said it was hoped they could share that “in the next several months”.
Mr Alhinai also said they were careful about revealing how much taking an air taxi would cost but they were working on price tiers similar to “upper tier” of ride share services.
“We're a bit careful in terms of determining what that final cost would be because there's just still some final information that we're finalising on what the locations would be and where we would be flying from,” he said, adding that the service was aimed at the general public.
It was previously reported prices would be about Dh300 to Dh350 for inner-city travel.
Archer had already announced the first “heliport” would be located in the Mina Zayed Cruise terminal with the existing helipad being converted to dual use by the end of 2025. The Mina Zayed location is close to key sites such as the port, Louvre Abu Dhabi and Saadiyat Island. He said it was finalising “very exciting” other sites.
When launched, it is envisaged that people can book a ride through a smartphone app in the same way one would hire a taxi today.
Abu Dhabi Investment Office is working with the company on the project. “This flight marks a significant step towards realising Abu Dhabi’s ambition to lead the world in advanced urban air mobility,” said Badr Al Olama, director general of the office.
Omran Malek, head of smart autonomous vehicle industry at the office, told The National that Wednesday’s test was a “first step among many to come”.
“We are testing to commercialise,” said Mr Malek. “In Abu Dhabi we're not just launching an air taxi service, we're launching an ecosystem.
“So from pilot training to maintenance, repair and operations to talent development and the manufacturing part,” he said.
Mr Malek said if you looked at the sky above many cities it was “empty” and “we need to use and utilise that space above us”.
He pointed to the fact Abu Dhabi has many islands – several are being developed – and air taxis could cut the length of travelling between them sharply.
“If you want to go from one island to another, you have to use a bridge but point to point it could take you five to 10 minutes.”
Reiterating that integration of the planned air taxi network with other transport systems was crucial, he said they were thinking of how people get off Etihad Rail or use the bus stations and if transport across sea, air and land could be joined up it would be “a jackpot”.
The test follows a separate one on Monday in Dubai by Joby Aviation of its aerial taxi. Four vertiports are planned there as well as tests last month in Abu Dhabi from a different operator.
Mr Malek said the efforts were all down to the “ecosystem from the federal to the government agencies that have worked all together, all marching in the same direction”.
“This technology is coming from abroad but because of the regulatory agility we have, it's being deployed here,” he said. “And we're considering also exporting this know-how around the region to deploy these systems.”
