RIYADH: The General Authority of Civil Aviation, or GACA, announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Archer Aviation, a leading US company specializing in vertical take-off and landing, or VTOL, aircraft, to operate air taxi services across the Kingdom. 

The announcement was made during the CoMotion Global Summit, themed “Urban Mobility: Innovation Without Limits,” held at the Riyadh Financial Center.  

The MoU forms part of GACA’s ongoing efforts to develop an Advanced Air Mobility system in line with the AAM Roadmap and the aviation program under the National Transport and Logistics Strategy. It marks a major step in the Kingdom’s broader push to advance next-generation air mobility solutions and position Saudi cities as global hubs for future mobility. 

Under the agreement, GACA and Archer will work together to enhance and further develop the regulatory framework governing VTOL aircraft operations in the Kingdom. This includes maintaining alignment with Federal Aviation Administration certification standards to ensure operational safety and support the gradual rollout of air taxi services. 

The two sides will also conduct a series of pilot flights and proof-of-concept demonstrations to validate the regulatory approach, support infrastructure development, and strengthen public readiness for the service. 

Commenting on the partnership, Captain Sulaiman bin Saleh Al-Muhaimidi, executive vice president of aviation safety and environmental sustainability at GACA, said that by working with global partners like Archer, the authority continues to reinforce the regulatory and operational foundations necessary for the safe integration of VTOL aircraft into the national aviation system. 

He added: “This initiative supports the advanced air mobility roadmap and reinforces the Kingdom’s position as a leader in advanced-generation air mobility.” 

Archer Founder and Chairman Adam Goldstein said, “The Kingdom is moving quickly and decisively to build a next-generation transportation system, and we are honored that the General Authority of Civil Aviation has chosen to work with us on this transformative endeavor. We look forward to working alongside GACA to achieve one of the Kingdom’s strategic goals: to be among the first markets in the world to widely adopt vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.” 

He added, “Aligning our certification work with the US Federal Aviation Administration and launching early pilot operations in the Kingdom will help pave the way for providing safe, sustainable, and efficient air travel for millions of people.”