The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of Saudi Arabia has signed a partnership agreement with Archer Aviation to accelerate the deployment of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft across the Kingdom. The move supports GACA’s work on the advanced air mobility ecosystem under the AAM Roadmap and the National Transport and Logistics Strategy.

GACA and Archer will collaborate to mature the regulatory framework for eVTOL operations in Saudi Arabia. This includes aligning with FAA certification standards to improve interoperability, reinforce safety and support air taxi scale-up. The two will also conduct proof-of-concept demonstrations and experimental flights to test regulations, develop infrastructure and build public readiness.

The agreement builds on Archer’s recently signed Memorandum of Understanding with The Helicopter Company (THC) and Red Sea Global (RSG), focused on developing and testing Archer’s Midnight aircraft within RSG’s controlled environment. Under that initiative, the partners aim to assess aircraft performance, regulatory fit, passenger acceptance and ecosystem readiness, while exploring long-term integration of eVTOL aircraft into the Kingdom’s infrastructure and tourism destinations.

“This MoU is an important step in advancing the Kingdom's vision for advanced air mobility,” says Captain Sulaiman bin Saleh Al-Muhaimedi, executive vice president for aviation safety and environmental sustainability at GACA. “By working with global partners such as Archer, we continue to strengthen the regulatory and operational foundations needed to safely integrate eVTOL aircraft into our aviation system.”

Archer founder and CEO Adam Goldstein adds: “Harmonising our certification work with the FAA and launching early demonstration operations in the Kingdom will help lay the groundwork for bringing safe, sustainable and efficient air taxi travel to millions of people.”