Vertical Aerospace has announced the signing of a strategic three-party Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Abdel Hadi Abdullah Al-Qahtani & Sons Group of Companies (AHQ Group), a leading Saudi industrial conglomerate, and the Saudi National Industrial Development Centre (NIDC), part of the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources.
The MoU, signed in Riyadh, establishes a framework to explore the development of a long-term Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) ecosystem in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, aligned with Vision 2030, the national programme to diversify the economy and build advanced industrial capability. Under the MoU, the parties will evaluate opportunities spanning manufacturing localization, commercial eVTOL operations, and potential investment and incentive opportunities. Saudi Arabia represents one of the largest emerging markets for AAM globally, with the potential to support over 1,000 Valo aircraft.
AHQ Group will support evaluation of industrial, commercial, and investment structures required to establish a scalable AAM ecosystem. Together, Vertical, AHQ Group, and NIDC will explore how Saudi Arabia can become a regional hub for electric aircraft manufacturing, battery systems, and AAM services, supporting Vision 2030’s goals for industrial diversification, skilled job creation, and clean transport.
Stuart Simpson, CEO of Vertical Aerospace, stated that Saudi Arabia is one of the most strategically important future markets for AAM, and signing the MoU in Riyadh reflects the Kingdom’s ambition to build world-class aerospace industrial capability under Vision 2030. Chairman Tariq Abdel Hadi Al-Qahtani of AHQ Group noted that AAM represents a new frontier for Saudi Arabia’s industrial and mobility ambitions, and the partnership explores potential investment opportunities to build a scalable, globally competitive AAM ecosystem. Eng. Saleh Al Solami, CEO of NIDC, added that the MoU reflects NIDC’s mandate to enable advanced industries and attract high-value manufacturing to the Kingdom, positioning Saudi Arabia as a regional hub for next-generation aerospace technologies.
