Overview
- Archer Aviation and Joby Aviation signed memorandums of understanding with The Helicopter Company and Red Sea Global at the Dubai Airshow to create a sandbox for real‑world eVTOL testing in Saudi Arabia.
- Red Sea Global will lead trials in its controlled airspace at The Red Sea and AMAALA to assess aircraft performance, operational concepts, passenger acceptance, charging needs, and airspace integration, with GACA involved.
- Joby plans to complete pre‑commercial evaluation flights in the Kingdom in the first half of 2026 as part of the sandbox program.
- Archer says its goal is to begin initial operations to Red Sea resorts next year, while separate UAE work includes a completed in‑country test campaign and a launch program aligned with an air‑taxi certification timeline targeted by Q3 2026.
- In a parallel move, Archer agreed to supply Midnight powertrain technology to Anduril and EDGE for the Omen autonomous aircraft, with the UAE committing to an initial 50 systems, adding a new revenue stream.