Transforming Heliport Into Mixed-Use Facility For Air Taxi Service

The General Civil Aviation Agency, or GCAA, has approved the design for the planned transformation of an Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal helipad into a mixed-use hybrid heliport to accommodate both helicopters and eVTOL aircraft operations.

Archer Aviation is working with its infrastructure partner Falcon Aviation in coordination with the GCAA. When completed, the facility is  targeted to be the first hybrid heliport available for early commercial air taxi service in Abu Dhabi. It will also become a part of Archer’s broader infrastructure network in the UAE, and early operations are planned with Abu Dhabi Aviation (ADA).

By granting this approval, the GCAA has become the world’s first civil aviation authority to develop regulatory standards regarding hybrid infrastructure. This represents a leading-edge framework designed to support safe, interoperable, and efficient operation of both helicopters and eVTOLs from a single platform.

After consulting with industry peers, the proposed standards are being finalized and will be published by July 2025, signifying a milestone toward the seamless integration of advanced air mobility into an existing aviation ecosystem.

The design standards provide Archer and its partners the guidance to add charging infrastructure and to upgrade the landing and safety systems to enable use by eVTOL aircraft. Upgrading an existing facility allows Archer to leverage existing airspace regulations, zoning, and structures that are already present without incurring the cost and time involved in building a bespoke vertiport.

Archer selected this specific site because of its location at the cruise terminal, which is already a thriving tourist hub that greets 650,000 visitors to its port each year. It also provides a gateway to the capital’s most renowned leisure and cultural destinations.

FMI:  archer.com/