PIF’s The Helicopter Company, Archer & Red Sea Global to Launch eVTOL Air Mobility in Saudi Arabia

(Dubai, UAE) The Helicopter Company (THC), a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) announced today at the Dubai Airshow that will partner with electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) original equipment manufacturer (OEM) Archer Aviation (NYSE: ACHR) to bring Archer’s Midnight air taxi to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia alongside leading Gigaproject developer Red Sea Global (RSG), which is behind regenerative tourism destinations The Red Sea and AMAALA.

Image of Archer’s Midnight eVTOL aircraft during a recent test flight in the Middle East courtesy of Archer Aviation.

Per today’s press release from Archer, the partnership will focus on the development, testing, and potential integration of Archer’s eVTOL aircraft into RSG’s operations as one of the first deployments of eVTOL aircraft in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

“A key part of Archer’s strategy is partnering with the leading operators in each country who share our goals and vision, and both THC and RSG are similarly committed to ensuring that Saudi Arabia is operationally prepared to launch eVTOL aircraft,” said Archer Aviation’s founder and CEO, Adam Goldstein. “We look forward to working together to demonstrate how Archer’s Midnight aircraft can transform travel within the Kingdom and set a regional benchmark for the future of aviation.”

In the initial phase of the agreement, Archer will work with THC and RSG to help build the foundational framework for their planned eVTOL operations in Saudi Arabia via the establishment of a structured sandbox environment to conduct test flights with Archer’s Midnight eVTOL under real-world conditions. Archer, THC and RESG will also collaborate on testing advanced aerial technologies, exploring long-term strategic partnerships for large-scale deployment and supporting regional innovation to advance next generation aviation systems, according to Archer.

Image of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) being signed by Captain Arnaud Martinez, CEO of The Helicopter Company (THC), John Pagano Group CEO of Red Sea Global, and Nikhil Goel, CCO of Archer, courtesy of Archer Aviation.

As the framework progresses, RSG will lead the sandbox testing with Archer’s Midnight aircraft to evaluate the potential for integrating eVTOL aircraft into the company’s future operations, per Archer.

Finally, following the completion of the sandbox program, all parties will review the results and consider further initiatives to support large scale introduction of eVTOL services, per Archer.