Archer Aviation Inc’s battery-powered flying taxis are unlikely to receive certification in the UAE before the end of the year, meaning passenger flights will not begin until early 2026, according to people familiar with the matter. Regulators in the UAE expected the license to be issued this year, according to the insiders, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to make statements. They added that the review process was taking longer than expected, without specifying a reason for this. One of the people said that Archer and its partners in Abu Dhabi currently plan to start passenger flights next year, representing a change from its plans last February, when the company, based in Palo Alto, Calif., announced it intended to operate the first passenger flight “later this year.” The ambitious timelines of Archer and its competitors are closely watched by investors; Due to the volume of investments amounting to billions of dollars, and the challenges associated with the introduction of a new type of aircraft on the market. You might be interested in: Abu Dhabi invests millions to accelerate start of flying taxi operations. The flight schedule in the Emirates changes. The schedule announced by “Archer” seems to have changed. The company announced on February 27 that it intends to carry out the first passenger flight of its battery-powered “Midnight” aircraft in Abu Dhabi by the end of this year. However, the same statement on the company’s website does not now contain a reference to the target of the year 2025, although the rest of the details remain unchanged. Since that announcement in February, the company has confirmed on more than one occasion that it plans to launch in the UAE this year. A person familiar with Archer’s operations explained that the company’s internal definition of commercial launch includes stages such as training pilots, making the necessary modifications to existing infrastructure, and signing partnerships, but that does not necessarily mean the planes are ready to fly, he said. The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority did not respond to requests for comment, while Archer said in response to inquiries that its aim is to “launch flying taxi services in Abu Dhabi as soon as possible.” In its response, the company added: “We are very proud of the continued progress we are making with the General Civil Aviation Authority and our partners in the UAE,” but declined to provide further details. Delays in certification procedures are common in the aerospace industry, even for large companies such as Airbus and Boeing. Some European startups, such as Lilium and Volocopter, have declared bankruptcy. As for Joby Aviation Inc, Archer’s main rival in the United States, it amended its timetable for acceptance in the UAE during February, indicating that the first passenger flights in Dubai could be carried out either later this year or in early 2026. Also read: Flying taxis to begin flying in the skies of Dubai in 2025. aircraft in commercial service in the UAE, in parallel with their efforts to obtain approval from the Federal Aviation Administration in the United States. Archer CEO Adam Goldstein said in an interview with Bloomberg TV in June that the progress made in the UAE will help speed up certification procedures in other markets. Goldstein added at the time: “The goal is to actually start commercial operations in the Emirates this year, which will give us the opportunity to actually launch these aircraft and showcase their capabilities to everyone.” These aircraft are known as “EVTOL”, which means electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, and are expected to replace some helicopter flights with cheaper and less polluting services, in addition to competing with transport services to and from airports such as “Uber”. See also: In preparation for the launch of the “flying taxi” service… Dubai receives the first “Gobi” aircraft, but it is still difficult to predict the launch date of these aircraft, given the multiple stages of regulatory approval, and the warning of the competent authorities due to the potential risks associated with the launch of an entirely new category of commercial aviation. In the case of the UAE, the General Civil Aviation Authority has never played the role of the primary body for the certification of a large passenger aircraft. Archer has made progress in developing its Midnight, a four-passenger, manned aircraft powered by 12 propellers, six of which can be rotated for vertical takeoff. The company conducted a test flight last July and Goldstein said in a call with investors in August that the company expects the version to be launched in the Emirates to start generating cash flow during the current year. In the UAE, Archer works with the state-owned Abu Dhabi Aviation Company, the largest helicopter operator in the emirate. The Abu Dhabi Investment Office also signed an agreement with the company to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in the flying taxi project, most of which is in the form of incentives linked to production, operation and related activities. Archer has chosen Abu Dhabi as its international headquarters and announced an initial route between the emirate and Palm Jumeirah Island in Dubai. The company also said it plans to conduct test flights for passengers before the start of full commercial operation. During the same call in August, Goldstein was asked to present a roadmap for Archer’s activities in the UAE over the next 12 to 18 months. He said: “We will continue to expand our fleet between now and the first half of next year, and we will obtain the commercial license from the General Civil Aviation Authority to start flying. We will start demonstration flights that will simulate real passenger routes on the infrastructure we have indicated, before going to full commercial operation later.”
The “Archer” flying taxi is not allowed to fly in the skies of the UAE this year
