This article is based on an official press release from Archer Aviation.

Saudi Arabia’s GACA Partners with Archer to Fast-Track Electric Air Taxi Operations

Saudi Arabia’s national aviation regulator, the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), has officially signed an agreement with Archer Aviation to establish a comprehensive regulatory pathway for the deployment of eVTOL aircraft within the Kingdom. This partnership marks a significant step toward commercializing electric air taxi services in the region, aligning with the nation’s broader Vision 2030 initiative.

According to the company’s announcement, GACA intends to model its regulatory framework on the U.S. Department of Transportation’s and Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) eVTOL Implementation Pilot Program (eIPP). By adopting this established model, Saudi regulators aim to facilitate early operational testing and certification, targeting commercial launches in key urban centers and tourism developments.

Adopting the “Crawl-Walk-Run” Regulatory Model

The core of this agreement involves GACA leveraging the U.S. eIPP framework to create a “sandbox” environment for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). The eIPP is designed to allow private companies to partner with government entities to test technologies in controlled environments before scaling up to full commercial operations.

Under this agreement, Archer and GACA will collaborate on:

• Proof-of-Concept Demonstrations: Initial flights to validate safety and operational viability.
• Operational Experimental Flights: Testing the aircraft in real-world conditions to gather data for certification.
• Regulatory Alignment: Developing rules that mirror FAA standards to ensure global interoperability.

By utilizing the eIPP model, GACA seeks to avoid the delays often associated with creating aviation Regulations from scratch. Instead, the regulator plans to “import” a mature, safety-first testing framework that accelerates the timeline for integrating Archer’s “Midnight” aircraft into Saudi airspace.

Strategic Deployment: From Red Sea to Riyadh

The deployment strategy outlined in the agreement focuses on two primary sectors: high-end tourism and urban mobility. The initial “sandbox” testing is expected to take place within the Kingdom’s “gigaprojects,” specifically Red Sea Global.

Tourism and Connectivity

Archer has previously established a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with The Helicopter Company (THC), a subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), and Red Sea Global. The goal is to utilize eVTOLs to replace ground transport and conventional Helicopters flights. For example, trips between the Red Sea International Airport and remote island resorts, which currently take 60 to 90 minutes by car, could be reduced to approximately 10 to 20 minutes via electric air taxi.

Urban Air Mobility

Beyond tourism, the agreement targets major metropolitan areas such as Riyadh and Jeddah. With Riyadh’s population projected to grow significantly by 2030, GACA views eVTOLs as a critical “first and last mile” solution to alleviate traffic congestion. These services are intended to connect city centers with major transport hubs, such as King Khalid International Airport and the King Abdullah Financial District.

AirPro News Analysis

We observe that Saudi Arabia is pursuing a distinct “fast-follower” strategy in the Advanced Air Mobility sector. By explicitly aligning its regulatory pathway with the U.S. FAA’s eIPP, GACA is effectively removing one of the largest barriers to entry for Western eVTOL Manufacturers: regulatory fragmentation.

This move also highlights the Kingdom’s multi-vendor approach to securing market leadership. While this agreement advances Archer’s position, GACA has also engaged with competitors such as Joby Aviation. This suggests that the Saudi market will likely remain open and competitive, rather than exclusive to a single manufacturer. For Archer, the ability to test in the harsh desert environments of the Kingdom will serve as a critical validation of the “Midnight” aircraft’s thermal management and durability, data that will be valuable for Certification efforts globally.

Timeline and Future Outlook

While specific launch dates for full commercial service remain dependent on successful certification, the adoption of the eIPP model suggests an aggressive timeline. Industry reports indicate that initial commercial operations in the Red Sea region could begin as early as 2026, with scaled operations in major cities following closer to 2028.

The agreement underscores the role of the aviation sector in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which aims to diversify the economy and modernize transportation infrastructure. By facilitating the entry of electric air taxis, GACA is positioning the Kingdom as a regional leader in sustainable aviation technology.

Sources

• Archer Aviation