Riyadh, Saudi Arabia –  December 2025 – The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Archer Aviation to accelerate the deployment of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft across the Kingdom. The partnership supports GACA’s Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Roadmap and the objectives of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy (NTLS), marking a major step in Saudi Arabia’s drive to develop next-generation air transport solutions.

Under the agreement, GACA and Archer will work to enhance and mature the regulatory framework for eVTOL operations in Saudi Arabia. This includes alignment with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification standards to improve interoperability, reinforce safety, and support the progressive scale-up of air taxi services.

The collaboration also includes proof-of-concept demonstrations and experimental flights to validate regulatory approaches, support infrastructure development, and build public readiness for electric air taxi services.

Captain Sulaiman bin Saleh Al-Muhaimedi, Executive Vice President for Aviation Safety and Environmental Sustainability at GACA, said: “This MoU is an important step in advancing the Kingdom’s vision for Advanced Air Mobility. 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 added: “Saudi Arabia is moving with impressive speed and clarity to build a next-generation mobility ecosystem. Harmonizing 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.”

The agreement builds on Archer’s existing collaborations in Saudi Arabia, including partnerships with The Helicopter Company and Red Sea Global to develop eVTOL test environments, reinforcing the Kingdom’s position as an early adopter and regional leader in advanced air mobility technologies.

About GACA and the Saudi Aviation Program
GACA is the national civil aviation regulator for Saudi Arabia, responsible for delivering world-class regulatory services that enhance competition, safety, security, and sustainability in civil aviation. Through the Saudi Aviation Program, GACA is transforming the Kingdom’s aviation ecosystem to become the leading sector in the Middle East, enabling US$100 billion in private and government investment, expanding connectivity to 250 destinations, tripling annual passenger traffic, and increasing air cargo capacity in alignment with Vision 2030.