Archer Aviation announced on May 7, 2026, a new regulatory advancement in the United Arab Emirates, after the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) included its Midnight eVTOL aircraft in a Restricted Type Certificate (RTC) program, designed to accelerate the initial launch of electric air taxi operations in the country.

The RTC program establishes a simplified regulatory pathway to allow limited commercial operations while the aircraft continues its full certification process. Archer thus becomes the first eVTOL manufacturer to adopt this approach with the GCAA, utilizing an airworthiness framework aligned with international standards.

This advancement follows several years of technical collaboration between Archer and the Emirati aviation authority, including inspections conducted at the company’s facilities and flight test centers in the United States, as well as local flights with the Midnight aircraft in the UAE.

As part of this process, Archer is also seeking Design Organization Approval (DOA) and Production Organization Approval (POA) from the GCAA, key certifications that validate its engineering and safety management systems.

In addition to aircraft certification, both parties are working on critical areas for entry into service, including operations, maintenance, pilot training, airspace integration, vertiports, and safety oversight.

The Midnight is scheduled to enter service in Abu Dhabi with Abu Dhabi Aviation, Archer’s local operating partner and one of the region’s leading aviation operators.

Source: Archer Aviation