Archer Aviation, a leading U.S. eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) manufacturer, has signed a landmark agreement with Saudi Arabia’s The Helicopter Company (THC) and Red Sea Global, both affiliated with the Kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund PIF, to jointly develop and test air taxi operations in Saudi Arabia. The move establishes one of the Middle East’s most advanced testbeds for electric air taxis and expands Archer’s global commercial strategy.
Under this partnership, the companies will build a structured ecosystem to test Archer’s Midnight aircraft, evaluating real-world flight performance, infrastructure readiness, passenger experience, and regulatory pathways. Red Sea Global, one of the region’s largest luxury tourism developers, will oversee early-stage air taxi testing, integrating the aircraft into a model resort network. This initiative positions Saudi Arabia as an emerging leader in advanced air mobility.
This collaboration is a major win for the global urban air mobility (UAM) market, as Archer secures a strong foothold in one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation innovation hubs. Saudi Arabia’s rapid infrastructure expansion and its appetite for next-gen aviation technologies make it a prime market for deploying scalable air taxi operations.
For Saudi Arabia, the partnership fits directly into the country’s Vision 2030 mobility agenda, which aims to diversify the economy, transform transportation, and introduce clean travel alternatives. Adding electric air taxis to its mobility portfolio strengthens its credentials as a future-forward aviation leader.
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Archer plans to test the Midnight eVTOL across multiple Saudi environments — desert conditions, coastal zones, tourist regions and urban corridors. These trials will help assess:
• Vertiport infrastructure readiness
• Charging and energy-management systems
• Air-traffic integration for air taxi operations
• Passenger-acceptance metrics
• Regulatory compatibility for future commercial flights
The partnership complements Archer’s ongoing expansion in South Korea, Japan and the UAE, showing its ambition to be the dominant global player in electric air taxis and advanced air mobility.
The deal signals a turning point: air taxi operations are moving from concept to large-scale global pilots. Saudi Arabia’s fast-tracked support for UAM infrastructure, combined with Archer’s technological expertise, creates one of the strongest real-world launchpads for next-generation air travel.
While regulatory approvals, safety certifications, and infrastructure limitations remain challenging, this partnership demonstrates real momentum towards routine urban air mobility services.
By partnering with THC and Red Sea Global, Archer Aviation strengthens its global expansion strategy while positioning Saudi Arabia as a pioneer in air taxi operations and advanced air mobility. As electric air taxis progress from prototypes to commercial pilots, the companies that master regulatory readiness, infrastructure deployment and real-world testing will lead to the future of next-gen aviation. Archer’s Saudi entry is a powerful indicator that this future is rapidly approaching.
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