Abu Dhabi's flying taxis are closer to taking off this year

A fleet of flying taxis operating in Abu Dhabi became more of a likelihood following confirmation of an agreement between the emirate's aviation authority and the firm behind the machines. Archer Aviation was working towards launching a fleet of flying taxis before the end of the year, viewing the Gulf as the perfect launch pad to demonstrate its vehicles to the rest of the world. Abu Dhabi Aviation confirmed on Thursday morning that an agreement had been made to deploy the first fleet of Archer Aviation's Midnight electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft this year. "As a leading force in the aviation industry across the region and the largest helicopter operator in the Middle East, Abu Dhabi Aviation has the expertise to develop a scalable urban air mobility service," said Nader Al Hammadi, chairman of Abu Dhabi Aviation. "We are excited to lead the way in launching the region’s electric air taxi service, starting right here in Abu Dhabi.” Abu Dhabi Aviation will fund the deployment of the Midnight flying taxis, making it the first operator of electric air taxis in the region, according to a statement released on Thursday. The Midnight is a piloted, four-passenger aircraft designed to perform back-to-back flights with minimal charge time between flights.<br/>