Archer Aviation said on Wednesday it has entered a partnership with Saudi Arabia’s The Helicopter Company (THC) and luxury tourism developer Red Sea Global to develop and test electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in the Kingdom.
The collaboration will establish a structured testing environment, or “sandbox,” where Archer’s Midnight eVTOL aircraft can conduct flights under real-world conditions.
The initiative will assess aircraft performance, operational viability, regulatory compliance, passenger acceptance, and integration into the broader transport ecosystem. Red Sea Global, owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, will lead the sandbox testing to explore how eVTOLs could fit into its future tourism transport networks.
The Middle East has emerged as a key market for air taxi operators due to growing tourism demand, supportive regulations, and a willingness to invest in new transport technologies.
Archer’s agreement with Saudi partners follows similar international collaborations in South Korea and Japan, aimed at deploying the company’s Midnight aircraft for urban air mobility programs.