Archer Aviation says its Midnight electric air taxi has wrapped an in-country flight test campaign in the UAE, including vertical takeoff, transition and wingborne flight. The runs took place in local conditions and in desert areas, with coordination from the GCAA, the Integrated Transport Centre and Abu Dhabi Aviation.

Archer has also begun receiving payments under its Launch Edition agreement with Abu Dhabi Aviation. The company now shifts to pilot training with Etihad Aviation Training and more certification work with the GCAA, as Abu Dhabi builds out an air taxi network with over 10 planned vertiports. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS
  • Archer completed an in-country flight test campaign of its Midnight eVTOL in the UAE, covering the full flight envelope. 
  • Tests were coordinated with the GCAA, Integrated Transport Centre and Abu Dhabi Aviation; Archer has begun receiving Launch Edition payments from Abu Dhabi Aviation. 
  • Workstreams now shift to pilot training with Etihad Aviation Training and further certification with the GCAA. 
  • Abu Dhabi plans an air taxi network with 10+ vertiport sites to support rollout. 
  • Archer says the aircraft handled local heat and sand as designed; next phase focuses on ops readiness in the Emirates. 

What Archer tested in the UAE

Archer exercised Midnight’s “full flight envelope” in the Emirates to prove performance in local weather and terrain. That includes the tricky transition from vertical to wingborne flight.

  • Vertical takeoff, transition and wingborne flight were demonstrated. 
  • Tests ran in the UAE’s operating environment and over desert areas. 
  • A video shows recent test activity at Al Ain Airport. 

Archer frames this as validation for heat and sand, both common in the region. The company says Midnight was designed for such conditions and met the expected results across the phases of flight. If you want background on earlier UAE flights and context on urban air mobility here, see our previous coverage of Archer’s Abu Dhabi tests and the new rules being drafted for air taxis and drones in the capital.   

Who’s involved: regulators and local partners

The campaign was run with the UAE’s aviation and transport bodies, and Archer’s local operations partner.

  • Coordination: UAE GCAA and the Integrated Transport Centre. 
  • Operations partner: Abu Dhabi Aviation (ADA). 
  • Payments: Archer has begun receiving Launch Edition payments from ADA. 

In October, the GCAA visited Archer’s San Jose HQ for a week-long working session to accelerate the regulatory pathway in the Emirates. That sort of joint work will matter as the UAE drafts layered rules for drones and air taxis and sets how these aircraft share airspace.

What changes next: training, certification and ops prep

With this phase done, Archer shifts from proving flights to building the operation.

  • Pilot training: Archer’s airline team is advancing training with Etihad Aviation Training. 
  • Certification: continued GCAA work on the UAE regulatory pathway. 
  • Flight ops: further test operations with Abu Dhabi Aviation. 

This mix of training, certification and ops testing is the bridge from demos to commercial service. Archer also notes support from the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), following the activation of its investment framework to accelerate commercialisation in the UAE.

Where will these air taxis actually land?

Infrastructure is moving in parallel. Abu Dhabi has announced plans for an emirate-wide air taxi network with more than ten vertiport sites under ITC supervision.

  • Emirate-wide network: 10+ vertiport sites planned. 
  • Supervision and coordination by the Integrated Transport Centre. 
  • Goal: make Abu Dhabi the first region to start commercial operations with Midnight. 

Vertiports are small hubs for takeoffs, landings and charging. The network will decide the first viable routes. Expect early corridors linking dense urban areas to airports and key destinations, then gradual expansion as traffic, training and rules mature. For a plain-English explainer on how Abu Dhabi is thinking about traffic lanes in the sky, our guide on the evolving rules is a useful primer.   

What Archer is saying

Archer’s leadership and Abu Dhabi Aviation commented on the outcomes and the path ahead.

  • Archer CEO Adam Goldstein: Midnight handled UAE weather like heat and sand as designed; the Launch Edition framework is helping move toward commercialisation in the UAE. 
  • ADA Group CEO Mahmood Al Hameli: The tests show Abu Dhabi’s drive to create an innovation-friendly environment and accelerate eVTOL adoption via partnerships. 

In short, both sides are treating these flights as a signal that the programme is moving from show-and-tell to actual service preparation. Archer says the next steps include recruiting and training local pilots, more certification work with the GCAA, additional flight test operations with ADA, and preparing for early commercial ops in Abu Dhabi. 

FAQ

When did these UAE flight tests take place and where can I see them?

Archer says the in-country campaign covered the aircraft’s full flight envelope, and it has posted a video of recent activities at Al Ain Airport. 

Who’s paying whom here?

Archer has begun receiving payments under a definitive agreement with Abu Dhabi Aviation tied to the Launch Edition programme. 

What’s the regulator’s role right now?

The UAE GCAA is working with Archer on the regulatory pathway. A GCAA team visited Archer’s HQ in October for a week-long session to accelerate the process. 

Who will train the pilots?

Archer’s airline team is working with Etihad Aviation Training to advance pilot training as part of operational readiness. 

Where will the first routes run?

Abu Dhabi plans an air taxi network with 10+ vertiports. Specific routes were not confirmed in the announcement, but early services usually link airports and busy districts. We’ll update route details as the network plans firm up.