Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and Archer Aviation have announced plans to establish a hospital-based vertiport in the United Arab Emirates for electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft operations.
The facility would provide aircraft access to Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, located on Al Maryah Island. Archer Aviation plans to upgrade the hospital’s existing helipad to enable both traditional helicopter and electric vertical takeoff and landing operations.
According to the partners, planned operations include non-emergency passenger transport and time-critical organ delivery using Archer’s Midnight aircraft. The electric aircraft accommodates up to four passengers and would use a passenger-carrying cabin configuration for both purposes.
Bryan Bernhard, chief growth and infrastructure officer at Archer, said the vertiport demonstrates the company’s Abu Dhabi network development. “This partnership showcases the breadth of Archer’s network vision – connecting not just places, but pillars of life in Abu Dhabi,” Bernhard said. “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.”
Dr Georges-Pascal Haber, chief executive officer of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, said the partnership advances patient access to hospital services. “We are excited about the partnership with Archer to advance access to Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s patient-centered care,” Haber said. “This new mode of emission-free transport aligns with Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s commitment to sustainability, gives additional options to many patients travelling to our hospital for care, and provides our thriving organ transplant program with fast logistics.”
Archer Aviation operates under the General Civil Aviation Authority regulatory framework for hybrid vertiports, which enables simultaneous operation of conventional helicopters and electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft on shared infrastructure. The company plans to convert existing helipads into certified vertiports across Abu Dhabi.
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi operates as part of the M42 group with 405 beds including 321 acute care beds, 84 critical care beds and 26 operating rooms. The hospital provides specialized services across eight institutes covering cardiac, neurological, cancer and digestive disease care among other medical specialties.
The hospital holds accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education International and the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi operates under Department of Health Abu Dhabi licensing as a designated research and teaching facility.
