UAE greenlights first hybrid heliport for commercial air taxi service

In the increasingly electrified world we live in, the United Arab Emirates has just greenlit the development of the first-ever hybrid heliport for both helicopters and electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOLs), also referred to as air taxis or flying taxis.

Specifically, the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Agency (GCAA) has approved the design for the planned transformation of an Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal helipad into a hybrid heliport for both helicopter and eVTOL operations, according to a press release by Archer, the company working on the project, on April 23.

Indeed, as Archer explained, its mission is to turn the location into the first site ready for eVTOL aircraft operations in the UAE, providing direct commercial air taxi service access to the Abu Dhabi Port, the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, and the Corniche, in partnership with Abu Dhabi Aviation (ADA).

As a reminder, eVTOLs are electric aircraft that can hover, take off, and land vertically, a lot like a helicopter, and can typically carry two to six passengers, including a pilot, and they might see commercial deployment from the hybrid heliport by July 2025.

Sustainable aviation and commercial air taxi service

Meanwhile, the transformation of the helipad is carried out in cooperation with Archer’s infrastructure partner Falcon Aviation Services, in close coordination with the GCAA. Commenting on the development, H.E. Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, the GCAA Director General, explained that:

“Through our close collaboration with Archer and Falcon Aviation Services, we are enabling a future where sustainable, high-tech air transport becomes a core part of our urban landscape.”

Furthermore, Captain Ramandeep Oberoi, CEO of Falcon Aviation Services, also highlighted the planned infrastructure’s sustainability, pointing out that “not only enhances our tourism offering but also supports the shift toward more sustainable and advanced air mobility solutions.”

At the same time, the UAE is working on boosting its aviation security, having launched in February its own navigation technology that doesn’t require GPS to deliver secure, resilient mission-critical operations in the most challenging environments.