Although the idea of flying vehicles might sound like something from a Blade Runner movie, they're finally becoming a reality.
We've already seen Uber Copter become popular in major cities like New York, but taking the concept even further, Abu Dhabi is set to lead the way with the world's first flying taxi service.
Abu Dhabi has teamed up with the US-based Archer Aviation to launch a fleet of electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) aircraft that will be manufactured in the United Arab Emirates capital.
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Archer Aviation’s Midnight eVTOL aircraft will offer trips for up to four passengers from multiple vertiports across Abu Dhabi.
They hope to avoid congestion and slash journey times by up to 80%.
These vehicles can reach speeds of 240 kph, with Abu Dhabi letting them fly over vast stretches of water with ease. Something traditional taxi services wouldn't be able to do.
A spokesperson told The Independent: "Archer’s goal is to transform urban travel, replacing 60-90 minute commutes by car with 10-20 minute flights that are safe, sustainable, low-noise, and cost-competitive with ground transportation.
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“Midnight has similar levels of safety to commercial airliners, while also being 100-times quieter than a helicopter at cruising altitudes."
Better yet, there shouldn't be long to wait, with plans to launch in late 2025.
Uber first floated the idea of eVTOL vehicles being a legitimate idea of transportation during the 2016 Elevate conference. Uber spoke of a future where we'd catch flying taxis just as easily as you would a standard Uber, although the plans have taken a little while to get off the ground.
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While over 300 eVTOL startups launched since then and have raised around $10 billion in funding, a report by research firm IDTechEx suggests that only 5% of these firms are still going. Still, Archer Aviation was listed in the top three most valuable, with the report stating: "First mover advantage for any of these players is vital, as more benefits will come next – income from early commercial flights will improve finances and attract additional funding."
Archer hopes to get the jump on the competition with commercial operations in Abu Dhabi, while it has also secured partnerships in India, Japan, South Korea, and the USA. The UAE is furthest along because of a cross-industry collaboration that was helped by the Abu Dhabi Investment Office.
The current agreement includes the Abu Dhabi Airports, Etihad Aviation Training, the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Global Air Navigation Services, Global Aerospace Logistics, and the Integrated Transport Centre.
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Archer adds: "The comprehensive support from our partners, combined with Abu Dhabi’s forward-thinking approach to next-gen transportation, creates an ideal environment for launching Midnight."
With commercial and government entities working together, it's hoped that operational and regulatory issues can be solved quickly and cheaply.
His Excellency Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director General of the GCAA, says: "We are committed to launching electric air taxis safely in the UAE... [The] consortium announcement showcases the importance of collaboration across the country’s preeminent aviation entities in order to host Archer’s Midnight in the region next year."
Having helped launch Abu Dhabi’s Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industries (SAVI) hub, aerospace engineer Alessandro Borgona says that five vertiports are being worked on for launch: "People are super excited to use eVTOLs,” he told The Independent. “They’ll cut journey times, while also being safer, cleaner and less noisy than helicopters."