Saudi Arabia moves to fast-track eVTOL air taxis with new Archer agreement

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Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has signed an agreement with Archer Aviation to set up a regulatory pathway that would allow electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft to operate across the kingdom, the regulator said.

GACA said it plans to base its framework on the US Federal Aviation Administration’s certification rules and the Department of Transportation’s eVTOL Implementation Pilot Program, aiming to support early operations in Riyadh, Jeddah and large development zones including Red Sea Global.

The roadmap is part of the aviation pillar of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy and aligns with the country’s Vision 2030 push to expand advanced air mobility.

Archer-GACA agreement to cover proof-of-concept demonstrations

The partnership includes plans for proof-of-concept demonstrations and experimental flights to test regulatory processes, guide infrastructure rollout and build public confidence in electric air taxi services.

“This MoU is an important step in advancing the kingdom’s vision for advanced air mobility,” said captain Sulaiman bin Saleh Al-Muhaimedi, GACA’s EVP for Aviation Safety and Environmental Sustainability.

He said the collaboration strengthens the regulatory and operational groundwork needed to integrate eVTOL aircraft into Saudi Arabia’s aviation system.

Archer CEO Adam Goldstein said Saudi Arabia is moving quickly on advanced air mobility and that aligning the kingdom’s certification process with the FAA would support safe and rapid deployment.

The announcement follows Archer’s recent partnership with The Helicopter Company, owned by the Public Investment Fund, to launch eVTOL services with Red Sea Global.

GACA oversees civil aviation regulation in Saudi Arabia and leads the Saudi Aviation Program, which targets US$100 billion in public and private investment to modernise the sector, expand destination coverage to 250 cities and lift passenger traffic in line with the Kingdom’s long-term transport strategy.