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Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi (CCAD), in partnership with Archer Aviation, will develop the UAE’s first hospital-based vertiport under the General Civil Aviation Authority’s (GCAA) hybrid conversion framework.
The project aims to provide direct electric air taxi access to the hospital, expanding the region’s advanced air mobility infrastructure.
The vertiport will enable electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft operations for both non-emergency passengers and time-critical organ transport, using Archer’s Midnight aircraft.
The electric aircraft can carry up to four passengers and operates with lower noise and emissions than traditional helicopters.
New vertiport: CCAD, Archer to accommodate conventional helicopter, eVTOLs
Archer and CCAD will collaborate to upgrade the hospital’s existing helipad to accommodate both conventional helicopter and eVTOL operations.
“This partnership showcases the breadth of Archer’s network vision, connecting not just places, but pillars of life in Abu Dhabi,” said Bryan Bernhard, chief growth and infrastructure officer at Archer.
“Following our first hybrid vertiport approval at the Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal earlier this year, this next location demonstrates how Archer and the GCAA are working together to unlock a city-wide ecosystem for advanced air mobility,” he added.
Dr Georges-Pascal Haber, CEO of CCAD, said the initiative aligns with the hospital’s sustainability goals and commitment to patient-centered care. “This new mode of emission-free transport gives additional options to patients travelling to our hospital and provides our thriving organ transplant programme with fast logistics,” he said.
The vertiport at CCAD marks the next phase in Archer’s plan to launch commercial operations in the UAE. The company is leveraging the GCAA’s hybrid vertiport regulations to enable shared infrastructure for helicopters and eVTOLs across the capital.
The hospital, located on Al Maryah Island, is a multi-specialty hospital with 405 beds, including 84 critical care beds and 26 operating rooms.
The hospital celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.
Archer, headquartered in the US, is developing the aircraft and enabling technologies to support the future of electric aviation.
