Flying taxis in the UAE are moving from science fiction to reality. The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority has officially approved the design for the country’s first hybrid heliport, which will allow both normal helicopters and electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles, (eVTOL aircrafts), commonly known as air taxis, to operate from the same place. This is the first time the world will see official standards being set for such shared-use facilities, with full guidelines expected by July 2025.
The heliport will be located at the Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal at Zayed Port, a busy area that sees more than 650,000 cruise passengers every year. This makes it a perfect location to launch air taxis, especially for visitors wanting quick access to nearby hotspots like the Louvre Abu Dhabi and Saadiyat Cultural District.
This approval is a major step towards launching air taxi services in the UAE by 2026. The small, battery-powered eVTOL aircrafts can take off and land vertically, meaning they don’t need a full runway. They’re designed to offer short, quiet and eco-friendly flights across the city, helping reduce traffic on the roads.
The project is a joint effort between Abu Dhabi Ports Group, Falcon Aviation Services, and Archer Aviation, a company leading in electric air taxi development. Soon enough, Abu Dhabi could become a global model for how flying taxis can be part of everyday urban life.