Archer Aviation has marked a significant milestone with the successful completion of the first test flight for its Midnight electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft at Al Bateen Executive Airport in Abu Dhabi on 2 July 2025. The test was conducted under UAE-specific environmental conditions, including high temperatures, humidity, and dust, as part of preparations for commercial deployment in the region. The flight was supported by the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council (SASC) and witnessed by senior officials from key UAE aviation authorities, including the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), Integrated Transport Centre, Abu Dhabi Aviation, and Abu Dhabi Airports.
This event underscores Abu Dhabi’s commitment to becoming a leading hub for advanced urban air mobility. H.E. Badr Al-Olama, Director General of ADIO, highlighted the city’s ambition by stating that through initiatives such as the Smart and Autonomous Vehicles Industry (SAVI) Cluster, Abu Dhabi is positioning itself as a global launchpad for technological innovation and transformative air mobility solutions. Archer’s testing in the UAE is seen as a critical step towards integrating such novel air traffic into the local airspace, where flying taxis could become a mainstream mode of transport.
Archer’s CEO and Founder, Adam Goldstein, emphasised the importance of real-world testing in the region’s challenging environmental conditions. Testing the Midnight aircraft during the height of summer provides vital data to inform the commercial deployment and certification efforts both locally and in the United States. This testing phase is a part of Archer’s broader Launch Edition programme, which focuses on entering early adopter markets like Abu Dhabi to begin commercial urban air taxi operations as soon as regulatory approvals are secured.
Beyond the test flight, Archer has announced plans to expand its flight-testing operations across the UAE and other international markets to further support both certification and commercialisation. Complementing these efforts, Archer has signed a memorandum of understanding with Etihad Aviation Training to develop pilot recruitment and training programmes, coordinating with the GCAA to ensure the implementation of a safe and efficient pilot curriculum tailored for the Midnight aircraft. This collaboration underlines the comprehensive approach Archer and its partners are taking to develop the necessary ecosystem for urban air mobility in the region.
Moreover, Archer is partnering with Falcon Aviation to establish a vertiport network in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. This infrastructure will facilitate operations between the two cities and enable the deployment of Archer’s Midnight aircraft as quieter, safer, and more affordable alternatives to helicopters. Falcon Aviation, which recently upgraded its heliport facilities, will operate the Midnight fleet in the UAE, further embedding Archer’s presence within the country’s growing urban air mobility landscape.
This first test flight at Al Bateen Executive Airport is part of a series of developments spearheaded by Archer to secure design approvals and regulatory clearances, including for the UAE’s first hybrid heliport at the Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal. Such initiatives reflect the UAE’s broader strategy to lead the world in advanced urban air mobility and sustainable transportation innovation.
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Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://afrviator.org/bulletin/archer-commences-test-flights-for-midnight-aircraft-in-abu-dhabi/ – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://investors.archer.com/news/news-details/2025/Archer-Begins-Test-Flights-in-Abu-Dhabi/default.aspx – Archer Aviation has successfully completed the first test flight of its Midnight aircraft at Al Bateen Executive Airport in Abu Dhabi on 2 July 2025. The flight, supported by the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council (SASC), was attended by senior officials from the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), the Integrated Transport Centre, Abu Dhabi Aviation, and Abu Dhabi Airports. The test focused on evaluating the aircraft’s vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) performance under UAE-specific conditions, including high temperatures, humidity, and dust exposure, in preparation for commercial deployment in the region. Following this milestone, Archer plans to expand its flight-testing program in the UAE and other key markets to support certification and commercialization efforts. H.E. Badr Al-Olama, Director General of ADIO, emphasized the significance of this flight in advancing Abu Dhabi’s ambition to lead in advanced urban air mobility. Archer’s CEO and Founder, Adam Goldstein, highlighted the importance of testing the aircraft in actual operating conditions to gather data essential for progressing commercial and certification efforts both in the UAE and the U.S.
- https://www.investinabudhabi.ae/en/News/Archer-begins-test-flights-in-Abu-Dhabi – Archer Aviation has successfully completed the first test flight of its Midnight aircraft at Al Bateen Executive Airport in Abu Dhabi on 2 July 2025. The flight, supported by the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council (SASC), was attended by senior officials from the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), the Integrated Transport Centre, Abu Dhabi Aviation, and Abu Dhabi Airports. The test focused on evaluating the aircraft’s vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) performance under UAE-specific conditions, including high temperatures, humidity, and dust exposure, in preparation for commercial deployment in the region. Following this milestone, Archer plans to expand its flight-testing program in the UAE and other key markets to support certification and commercialization efforts. H.E. Badr Al-Olama, Director General of ADIO, emphasized the significance of this flight in advancing Abu Dhabi’s ambition to lead in advanced urban air mobility. Archer’s CEO and Founder, Adam Goldstein, highlighted the importance of testing the aircraft in actual operating conditions to gather data essential for progressing commercial and certification efforts both in the UAE and the U.S.
- https://www.designboom.com/technology/archer-evtol-midnight-exterior-handcrafted-clay-takes-first-flight-abu-dhabi-uae-07-04-2025/ – Archer Aviation has completed the first test flight of its eVTOL Midnight aircraft in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Occurring at Al Bateen Executive Airport, a private airport in Abu Dhabi, in early July 2025, the eVTOL’s test flight helps the company monitor how the aircraft performs, what changes they might need to make in its systems, and how it fits into the local airspace, given that the city wants flying taxis to be a norm transport in the area. With the pilot flight completed, Archer continues testing Midnight around the UAE to gear up for commercial services, such as air taxis in the city. The company wants to begin offering rides in Abu Dhabi and other cities once it receives certification from aviation authorities. Archer’s work in the UAE is part of its Launch Edition program, which focuses on starting commercial operations in places that are early adopters of air taxi technology such as Abu Dhabi.
- https://news.archer.com/archer-and-falcon-aviation-to-jointly-develop-vertiport-network-in-dubai-and-abu-dhabi-for-the-launch-of-flying-car-operations-in-uae-as-soon-as-2025 – Archer and Falcon Aviation will jointly develop a vertiport network in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, enabling flights between the two cities with Archer’s Midnight flying car while establishing a key operational development for Archer’s plans to launch across the Emirates in both cities as soon as 2025. On March 8, 2024, Falcon Aviation launched the upgraded Falcon Tours Heliport Terminal at the iconic Atlantis, The Palm, which provides helicopter charter service to locals and tourists alike between Dubai’s top hotel on the Palm Jumeirah to key destinations, including Abu Dhabi and other cities in the UAE, as well as sightseeing trips above Dubai’s iconic skyline. As early as next year, the companies plan for this hub to serve Archer’s Midnight aircraft, operated by Falcon Aviation, as a quieter, safer, and more affordable option than helicopters. This infrastructure partnership reaffirms the collaboration signed into agreement by Falcon Aviation last year to operate a fleet of Archer’s Midnight electric aircraft and expand the two companies’ urban air mobility ecosystem in the UAE.
- https://aam-me.ae/2025/07/02/archer-midnight-test-flight-abu-dhabi/ – US-based electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) manufacturer, Archer Aviation, has successfully completed the initial test flight of its Midnight aircraft today at Al Bateen Executive Airport in Abu Dhabi. This marks a major milestone in the company’s expansion into the Middle East. It is part of Archer’s broader goal to launch commercial air taxi services in the United Arab Emirates, starting with Abu Dhabi. The test flight focused on evaluating the Midnight aircraft’s performance in UAE-specific environmental conditions, including high temperatures, humidity, and dust exposure. The operation was carried out with the support of the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council (SASC). Senior representatives from several UAE entities were present for the demonstration, including the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), the Integrated Transport Centre, Abu Dhabi Aviation, and Abu Dhabi Airports. Archer’s regional partners also attended the test. Furthermore, the successful flight supports Archer’s Launch Edition commercialization program with Abu Dhabi Aviation, which aims to bring air taxi services to the city. As part of this initiative, Archer plans to expand its flight-testing program in the region, gathering additional operational data to support both certification and deployment in the UAE and other key markets. “This flight marks a significant step towards realising Abu Dhabi’s ambition to lead the world in advanced urban air mobility,” said H.E. Badr Al-Olama, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Investment Office. “Through the Smart and Autonomous Vehicles Industry (SAVI) Cluster, we are enabling companies like Archer to test, certify and scale next-generation air mobility solutions, reinforcing our position as a global launchpad for innovation and a hub for transformative technologies.” Archer CEO and Founder Adam Goldstein emphasized the importance of conducting real-world testing. “Our initial test flight operations in the UAE represent a critical milestone as we prepare for our commercial deployment in Abu Dhabi,” he said. “Testing our aircraft in actual operating conditions in the middle of summer provides us with the data we need to progress our commercial and certification efforts both in the UAE and the U.S.” Today’s announcement follows a string of developments for Archer in the region, including regulatory design approval for the UAE’s first hybrid heliport at the Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal. The company’s Launch Edition program is aimed at establishing a strong foothold in early adopter markets, with Abu Dhabi positioned as the first to host this commercial phase.
- https://news.archer.com/archer-aviation-partners-with-etihad-aviation-training-for-evtol-pilot-training-operations-based-in-abu-dhabi – Archer Aviation has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Etihad Aviation Training to support Archer’s efforts to establish urban aircraft mobility operations across the UAE in coordination with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) and other local partners, including Falcon Aviation and Air Chateau. Archer and Etihad Training intend to collaborate to recruit and train pilots to operate Archer’s Midnight aircraft. Together, Archer and Etihad Training intend to engage with the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to establish an appropriate pilot training curriculum in the UAE to enable safe and efficient Archer eVTOL operations as soon as 2025.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative is fresh, with the earliest known publication date being July 2, 2025. It has not appeared elsewhere prior to this date. The content is original and not recycled from other sources. The narrative is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were found. The article includes updated data and does not recycle older material.
Quotes check
Score:
10
Notes:
The direct quotes from H.E. Badr Al-Olama and Adam Goldstein are unique to this narrative, with no identical matches found in earlier material. This suggests potentially original or exclusive content.
Source reliability
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative originates from a reputable organisation, Archer Aviation, which is a well-known entity in the aviation industry. The press release is hosted on Archer’s official website, indicating a high level of reliability.
Plausability check
Score:
10
Notes:
The claims made in the narrative are plausible and align with known developments in the aviation industry. The narrative is covered by multiple reputable outlets, including Gulf News and Gulf Business, indicating that the information is corroborated by other sources. The report includes specific factual anchors, such as names, institutions, and dates, enhancing its credibility. The language and tone are consistent with typical corporate communications, and there is no excessive or off-topic detail.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative passes all checks with high scores, indicating it is fresh, original, and from a reliable source. The claims are plausible and corroborated by other reputable outlets, with no discrepancies or signs of disinformation.
