Archer and Falcon Aviation will jointly develop a vertiport network in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, enabling flights between the two cities with Archer’s Midnight flying car while establishing a key operational development for Archer’s plans to launch across the Emirates in both cities as soon as 2025.
On March 8, 2024, Falcon Aviation launched the upgraded Falcon Tours Heliport Terminal at the iconic Atlantis, The Palm, which provides helicopter charter service to locals and tourists alike between Dubai’s top hotel on the Palm Jumeirah to key destinations, including Abu Dhabi and other cities in the UAE, as well as sightseeing trips above Dubai’s iconic skyline. As early as next year, the companies plan for this hub to serve Archer’s Midnight aircraft, operated by Falcon Aviation, as a quieter, safer, and more affordable option than helicopters.This infrastructure partnership reaffirms the collaboration signed into agreement by Falcon Aviation last year to operate a fleet of Archer’s Midnight electric aircraft and expand the two companies' urban air mobility ecosystem in the UAE.
Under this partnership, Archer and Falcon Aviation will start by developing state-of-the-art vertiport infrastructure at Falcon Heliport at Atlantis, the Palm in Dubai and the Marina Mall heliport in Abu Dhabi’s Corniche. Driving between the two cities during peak traffic can take more than 2 hours. Archer and Falcon Aviation plan to offer passenger service in Archer’s Midnight flying car between these two Falcon vertiports, which will operate almost entirely over water with scenic views of both cities and clock in at as little as 30 minutes from takeoff to landing. Archer believes it is the first to announce a flying car service on this route between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, one of the world’s most prominent and congested commute corridors.
Falcon Aviation CEO Captain Ramandeep Oberoi commented, “For nearly two decades, Falcon Aviation has been at the forefront of helicopter passenger transport in the UAE. Our partnership with Archer is a leap into the future, as we prepare to offer flying car services together in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, continuing our tradition of world-class transportation solutions.”
On March 8th, Falcon Aviation also announced the inauguration of its state-of-the-art Renovated Heliport Terminal, extending its presence at Atlantis, the Palm. The companies unveiled a vision of what the future vertiport and service will look like at what will transform into a key hub for Midnight flights, helping bring urban air mobility to the region.
Today’s announcement reinforces the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed last year, where Falcon Aviation agreed to operate scores of Archer’s Midnight flying cars. This venture is part of Archer's strategic expansion, with the UAE set to be its first international launch market as soon as next year. This follows a significant preliminary deal announced by Archer last year with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office which promised economic incentives to help accelerate Archer’s growth in the region as part of Abu Dhabi’s Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industry (SAVI) Cluster.
Archer Chief Commercial Officer, Nikhil Goel, said, “We have made rapid progress in the UAE over the past three months since announcing Abu Dhabi and Dubai will be home to our first international Midnight flights as soon as 2025. 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.”
Archer’s goal is to transform urban travel, replacing 60–90-minute commutes by car with estimated 10-30 minute electric air taxi flights that are safe, sustainable, low noise, and cost-competitive with ground transportation. Archer’s Midnight is a piloted, four-passenger aircraft designed to perform rapid back-to-back flights with minimal charge time between flights.
*All images depict simulated flight
