Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), together with the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the Integrated Transport Centre (Abu Dhabi Mobility), and Abu Dhabi Airports (ADA), has launched a vertiport network intended to enable air taxi operations across the emirate.
The initiative establishes infrastructure to support electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and to set up routes connecting key locations.
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The network will comprise more than 10 vertiports and will be integrated with Abu Dhabi’s transport systems.
GCAA director-general Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi said: “This step in Abu Dhabi builds upon the ongoing efforts of the General Civil Aviation Authority to align the nation’s aviation infrastructure with the UAE’s strategic vision of adopting an advanced and sustainable air mobility ecosystem.”
Zayed International Airport and Al Bateen Executive Airport have been picked as initial sites, with additional locations and intercity routes to be announced in later phases.
Abu Dhabi Airports will serve as the anchor investor and primary delivery partner for the vertiport network programme.
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By GlobalDataAbu Dhabi Mobility and the GCAA will contribute to the vertiport network’s development and operation within a regulatory framework designed to align with Abu Dhabi’s airspace and transport systems.
The partners said that the framework will address safety, performance, integration and financial sustainability.
ADIO director-general Badr Al-Olama said: “This strategic initiative places Abu Dhabi at the forefront of next-generation mobility, exemplifying the power of partnerships between Abu Dhabi Government and the private sector in accelerating future industries.
The project forms part of the Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industries (SAVI) cluster’s strategy to support economic diversification by deploying advanced and sustainable air mobility solutions.
The planned infrastructure is intended to facilitate low-emission travel, improve connectivity, and enable multimodal journeys through ground transport and digital systems provided by Abu Dhabi Mobility and Abu Dhabi Airports.
The vertiport network will connect airports and urban, business and tourism hubs, including Yas Island, Saadiyat, and Abu Dhabi Island.
Each vertiport will be integrated with ground transport and digital infrastructure to support connections between air services and other transport modes.
Abu Dhabi Airports managing director and CEO Elena Sorlini said: “As the anchor delivery partner for Abu Dhabi’s vertiport network, Abu Dhabi Airports will be critical in shaping the infrastructure, operations and commercial readiness of advanced air mobility in the emirate.
“This partnership reflects our long-term commitment to unlocking the future of aviation through innovation, as well as our key role in integrating next-generation mobility solutions into Abu Dhabi’s transport ecosystem.”
