As per a report published by GACA, the full-scale execution of AAM will generate tens of billions of Saudi Riyals for Saudi Arabia’s GDP and also generate thousands of job opportunities by the year 2040.
Saudi Arabia’s Advanced Air Mobility Initiative is set to transform the aviation sector in the Middle East region completely. It will establish Saudi Arabia as the leader in the innovation of sustainable technologies.
The initiative headed by the General Authority of Civil Aviation offers a range of solutions like unmanned aircraft systems and aircraft for vertical takeoff and landing. These facilities prioritise safety, reliability, and durability in air travel. They also aid in improving mobility besides operating within environmental norms.
Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Duailej, President of GACA, reinforced the authority’s active efforts to foster AAM in the Kingdom through initiatives like executing a record-breaking test bed with NEOM and constructing the required regulatory framework.
He added that the strategy and roadmap for AAM would foray into the underlying technologies, recognising areas of implementation and regulatory framework to ensure safety.
Al-Duailej emphasised the economic opportunities available in the future from this technology and its ability to transform passenger commute and cargo transport. He mentioned its impact during times of emergency, medical transport, and disaster relief.
The AAM’s future implementation is planned accordingly with the Kingdom’s viewpoint of a green future. It will be shifted to a cleaner solution, like an electrical solution, which is essential to counter climate change issues. AAM explorers are working to put forth the development of an eclectic and hybrid-electric aircraft, achieving a substantial feat towards a sustainable and green future.
Sulaiman bin Saleh al-Muhaimidi, Vice President of GACA for Aviation Safety and Environmental Sustainability, elaborated that the AAM is not just another mode of transport but a backbone for the next generation of economic and social development in Saudi Arabia.
They have conducted numerous successful tests across the Kingdom’s diverse landscapes and climate conditions, which laid down the foundation for advancements that aim to reduce traffic congestion, improve emergency medical services, and cater to Saudi Arabia‘s climate target to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2060.
Under the Saudi Vision 2030, the Kingdom aims to establish a diverse, eco-compliant, and booming economy, and the AAM stands as a revolutionary technology that they perceive as the future mode of transport and commute but also has the potential to restructure the economy, design of the cities and remodel our lives, said Saleh Al-Jasser, Chairman of the board of GACA and the Minister of Aviation.
Al-Jasser added that AAM advancements will foster the aviation sector and help Saudi Arabia to transpire into a global tourism destination. It will also improve safety, enhance passenger experience, boost growth in the tourism sector, and provide long-term sustainable transport options.
Contribution to GDP
As per a report published by GACA, the full-scale execution of AAM will generate tens of billions of Saudi Riyals for the Kingdom’s GDP and also generate thousands of job opportunities by the year 2040.
The aviation body announced that it intends to locate relevant stakeholders for the AAM project and engage in collaboration within the ecosystem to kickstart operations.
Back in 2021, NEOM and Volocopter partnered for a JV project to boost advanced air mobility, with NEOM as a collaborative and global living space for future transport. This partnership helped Saudi Arabia successfully conduct the tests for its air taxi fights in NEOM in June 2023.
The test aimed to examine the flight performance of Volocopter aircraft in a local climate zone and domestic environmental situations. The test also involved testing the integration of air taxis into the local unmanned aircraft system traffic management.
Volocopter’s aircraft vertical takeoff and landing aircraft will play an important in NEOM as their indigenous smart and sustainable multimodal mobility system. It will run on 100% renewable energy generated from solar or wind energy.
This eVTOL will be inducted into the system as air taxis and ERV (emergency response vehicles) in NEOM. It will offer lower noise pollution, enhanced operability, and lower operation costs.