Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi to Build UAE’s First Hospital-Based Vertiport

In a groundbreaking step for both healthcare and aviation, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has unveiled plans to establish the United Arab Emirates’ first hospital-based vertiport, in collaboration with Archer Aviation. The initiative marks a bold leap into the era of advanced air mobility (AAM), promising faster, quieter, and more sustainable transport options for patients, visitors, and time-critical medical logistics.

The planned vertiport will provide direct eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft access to Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, one of the region’s premier medical institutions. Designed to enable travel between the hospital and nearby destinations within minutes, the project aims to dramatically reduce journey times compared to traditional ground transportation—particularly during the city’s peak congestion hours.

Archer Aviation’s Midnight aircraft will serve as the platform for these operations. This cutting-edge electric aircraft is designed to carry up to four passengers plus a pilot, while producing significantly less noise and emissions than conventional helicopters. Beyond convenience, this development opens up new frontiers in time-sensitive medical logistics, such as rapid organ transport and emergency medical transfers, providing an additional layer of agility and efficiency to the hospital’s operations. Archer and Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi are exploring both non-emergency passenger services and critical medical missions, utilising Midnight’s passenger cabin configuration for both use cases.

For Archer Aviation, this collaboration represents another major milestone in the company’s expanding footprint in the Middle East. Earlier in 2025, Archer secured approval for its first hybrid vertiport at the Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal, a key node in the city’s emerging AAM network.

“This partnership showcases the breadth of Archer’s network vision—connecting not just places, but pillars of life in Abu Dhabi,” said Bryan Bernhard, Archer’s Chief Growth & Infrastructure Officer. “Following our first hybrid vertiport approval earlier this year, this next location demonstrates how Archer and the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) are working together to unlock a city-wide ecosystem for advanced air mobility.”

Archer’s work with Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi will involve upgrading the hospital’s existing helipad to support both traditional helicopter and eVTOL operations, leveraging the UAE’s regulatory framework for hybrid vertiports. This system allows simultaneous operation of helicopters and electric aircraft on shared infrastructure—an important step in ensuring a smooth, scalable transition to cleaner air transport technologies.

“We are excited about the partnership with Archer to advance access to Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s patient-centred care,” said Dr Georges-Pascal Haber, CEO of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. “This new mode of emission-free transport aligns with our commitment to sustainability, gives additional options to patients travelling to our hospital, and provides our thriving organ transplant program with fast logistics.”

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, part of the M42 Group, is renowned as a multispecialty tertiary care hospital located on Al Maryah Island. As an extension of the globally recognised Cleveland Clinic in the United States, it was established to address complex and critical care needs in the UAE and surrounding regions. The hospital serves as a hub for medical tourism, attracting patients from across the Middle East and beyond who seek world-class healthcare combined with cutting-edge technology and compassionate service.

The integration of eVTOL aircraft into healthcare logistics not only enhances accessibility but also aligns with Abu Dhabi’s sustainability and smart city goals. By replacing traditional helicopter operations with quieter, zero-emission aircraft, the city can reduce carbon emissions, improve noise profiles, and expand aerial transport capacity in a more environmentally responsible way. The collaboration also demonstrates Abu Dhabi’s growing role as a testbed for next-generation transport technologies, complementing the UAE’s national ambitions for Net Zero by 2050. Advanced air mobility systems like Archer’s are expected to play a central role in achieving that vision—supporting sectors from healthcare and logistics to tourism and business travel.

For Archer, the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi vertiport project is a stepping stone toward establishing a fully operational urban air mobility network across the UAE. The company continues to work closely with the GCAA and local partners to certify infrastructure, integrate flight operations, and ensure compliance with aviation safety standards.

Archer’s Midnight aircraft is currently undergoing rigorous testing ahead of its commercial rollout. With a focus on short-range urban missions, the eVTOL can recharge in minutes and perform multiple rapid flights per hour—ideal for connecting key destinations across Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and beyond.

By upgrading existing helipads into certified hybrid vertiports, Archer aims to make AAM infrastructure scalable and cost-effective, minimising the need for new construction while maximising accessibility.

The partnership between Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and Archer Aviation reflects a convergence of two transformative industries—healthcare and advanced air mobility. Together, they are redefining how people and critical resources move through urban environments, setting a precedent for hospital-based vertiports around the world. As eVTOL technology matures, similar integrations could soon become standard at major hospitals, enabling faster medical response times, more sustainable transport options, and seamless connectivity across growing urban landscapes. For Abu Dhabi, this initiative cements its position as a global pioneer in both medical innovation and future mobility—a city where the future of healthcare may quite literally take flight.