Archer and Joby look to launch eVTOLs in Saudi Arabia

Archer Aviation (ACHR) and Joby Aviation (JOBY) have become two of the most well-known startups in the electric vertical and takeoff landing (eVTOL) space.

While it may be purely coincidental, Archer and Joby have also become skilled at not letting the other one grab the news cycle on its own for very long.

So when Joby announced on Tuesday that it had secured three new locations for planned vertiports in Dubai. it seemed only a matter of time before Archer made its own announcement about a big move in the Middle East.

But this time, the companies both made the same announcement.

Both Archer and Joby said on Wednesday that they had reached agreements with The Helicopter Company (THZ), a public investment fund and commercial helicopter operator in Saudi Arabia, to help accelerate the eVTOL air mobility in the country.

In addition to THC, they will also be partnering with Red Sea Global (RSG), a Saudi Arabian real estate developer in sectors such as tourism and transport.

Archer noted that the partnership will focus on developing and testing Archer's Midnight VTOL aircraft for the possible integration into RSG's operations as the first deployment of an air taxi in Saudi Arabia.

The agreement was reached at the recent Dubai Airshow.

Meanwhile, Joby said that it will complete pre-commercial evaluation flights of its VTOL in the first half of 2026.

“Saudi Arabia continues to lean in on the adoption of fast, clean and quiet air travel,” JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby Aviation, said in a statement. “We continue to leverage our proven market playbook by partnering with government and local operators to streamline expansion into new regions and prepare for the launch of the next generation of air mobility.”

Middle East becomes hot market for air taxis

The first phase of the initiative for Archer will focus on working with THC and RSG on building a foundational framework for launching eVTOL operations in Saudi Arabia.

They also plan to establish a "structured sandbox environment" to conduct test flights with Archer's Midnight aircraft under real-world conditions.

This will allow them to evaluate the plane in order to test its "overall ecosystem readiness."

RSG will then determine whether the Midnight can be integrated into its future eVTOL operations.

“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,” Archer founder and CEO Adam Goldstein, said in a statement.

“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.”

The exploration of integrating VTOLs into its air mobility sector aligns with Vision 2030, which is Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's initiative to diversify the country economically and culturally.

"Partnering with THC and Archer to explore the integration of eVTOL aircraft into our destinations aligns perfectly with our vision for regenerative tourism, creating cleaner, faster, and more connected ways for guests to experience the beauty of Saudi Arabia," John Pagan, group CEO of RSG, said in a statement.

This is not Archer's first move into the Middle East. The company delivered its first VTOL to the United Arab Emirates this past summer and was expected to launch piloted flights in the UAE by the end of this year.

Archer's stock is down nearly 24% for the year, while Joby's has surged 68.1%.