KAUST, SkyGrid Partner to Develop AAM Technologies in Saudi Arabia
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and SkyGrid signed a memorandum of understanding to develop and advance next-generation Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) technologies and operations across the Kingdom, on the sidelines of the Saudi-US Investment Forum.
The collaboration brings together KAUST’s leadership in scientific research, technology innovation, and national-level ecosystem development and SkyGrid’s expertise in high-assurance digital airspace integration. In partnership, the organizations will collaborate to accelerate Saudi Arabia’s readiness for crewed and uncrewed aircraft operations, in alignment with the General Authority of Civil Aviation and international aviation standards.
Under the memorandum, KAUST and SkyGrid will establish a strategic framework to explore AAM technology pathways, strengthen regulatory readiness, and accelerate Saudi Arabia’s innovation capacity in advanced aviation. The collaboration will emphasize joint innovation, ecosystem development, and the transfer of research into real-world operational capabilities that support the Kingdom’s long-term vision for next-generation transportation and sustainable aviation.
“This collaboration with SkyGrid aligns with KAUST’s mission to advance breakthrough technologies that address global and national challenges,” said KAUST President Sir Edward Byrne. “By combining our research excellence with SkyGrid’s expertise in airspace integration and autonomous flight services, we aim to position Saudi Arabia at the forefront of Advanced Air Mobility. This partnership will help build the scientific, technological, and operational capabilities needed to unlock new economic opportunities and transform the future of transportation in the Kingdom.”
Key areas of collaboration include the joint development of an air-side AAM sandbox to test, validate, and mature emerging technologies; live and simulated flight demonstrations for VTOL, STOL, and UAS platforms integrating SkyGrid’s digital solutions with KAUST’s research capabilities; and the facilitation of third-party flight experiments and commercial use cases to accelerate ecosystem development in the Kingdom. The partnership also encompasses advanced R&D in areas such as airspace efficiency, traffic deconfliction algorithms, UTM automation, digital twins, resilient communications, and simulation environments, as well as capacity-building initiatives through technical training, workshops, operator programs, and curriculum development to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s AAM talent pipeline.
“Saudi Arabia is making bold strides toward next-generation, sustainable aviation, and we are proud to support that vision,” said SkyGrid CEO Jia Xu. “Partnering with KAUST allows us to combine world-class research with operational expertise to develop the digital and operational foundation needed for safe, scalable Advanced Air Mobility. Together, we can accelerate the Kingdom’s progress toward autonomous flight and national AAM readiness.”
