Saudi Arabia and Archer Aviation Forge Strategic Air Taxi Partnership with Global Impact
New agreement paves the way for electric vertical take-off and landing services in the Kingdom aligned with U.S. regulatory standards and broader build-out ambitions.
Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation has signed a landmark memorandum of understanding with Archer Aviation of the United States to advance the deployment of electric air taxi services across the Kingdom, marking a significant milestone in the global evolution of advanced air mobility.
Under the agreement announced at the CoMotion Global Summit in Riyadh, the two parties will work to establish and refine a regulatory pathway for electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft operations that draws on the Federal Aviation Administration’s certification programme and operational standards to ensure safety, interoperability, and international best practice.
The framework is designed to support early proof-of-concept demonstration flights and experimental operations in key urban centres including Riyadh and Jeddah, as well as in major development zones such as Red Sea Global, laying the groundwork for routine commercial electric air taxi services.
Saudi officials describe the initiative as central to the Kingdom’s Advanced Air Mobility system and a core pillar of the broader National Transport and Logistics Strategy and Vision 2030, which aim to transform major cities into global hubs for next-generation mobility and stimulate investment in innovative technologies.
Archer, which is developing its four-passenger eVTOL aircraft known as Midnight, will collaborate with Saudi regulators to build public acceptance, support infrastructure development and contribute to a phased rollout of operations, potentially setting a precedent for future markets worldwide.
The agreement builds on Archer’s existing regional engagements, including partnerships with local entities such as The Helicopter Company and Red Sea Global, and positions the company to leverage Saudi Arabia’s expansive aviation investment plans.
While regulatory approval, certification and infrastructure deployment remain ongoing, this partnership underscores Saudi Arabia’s ambition to be among the first countries to adopt electric air taxis at scale and suggests that the U.S. build-out of urban air mobility could accelerate in parallel, with implications for both commercial aviation and urban transport networks globally.
Under the agreement announced at the CoMotion Global Summit in Riyadh, the two parties will work to establish and refine a regulatory pathway for electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft operations that draws on the Federal Aviation Administration’s certification programme and operational standards to ensure safety, interoperability, and international best practice.
The framework is designed to support early proof-of-concept demonstration flights and experimental operations in key urban centres including Riyadh and Jeddah, as well as in major development zones such as Red Sea Global, laying the groundwork for routine commercial electric air taxi services.
Saudi officials describe the initiative as central to the Kingdom’s Advanced Air Mobility system and a core pillar of the broader National Transport and Logistics Strategy and Vision 2030, which aim to transform major cities into global hubs for next-generation mobility and stimulate investment in innovative technologies.
Archer, which is developing its four-passenger eVTOL aircraft known as Midnight, will collaborate with Saudi regulators to build public acceptance, support infrastructure development and contribute to a phased rollout of operations, potentially setting a precedent for future markets worldwide.
The agreement builds on Archer’s existing regional engagements, including partnerships with local entities such as The Helicopter Company and Red Sea Global, and positions the company to leverage Saudi Arabia’s expansive aviation investment plans.
While regulatory approval, certification and infrastructure deployment remain ongoing, this partnership underscores Saudi Arabia’s ambition to be among the first countries to adopt electric air taxis at scale and suggests that the U.S. build-out of urban air mobility could accelerate in parallel, with implications for both commercial aviation and urban transport networks globally.
