SALAAM.earth (Sky Alliance for Automated Air Mobility), a non-profit association focused on the development and operational integration of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) ecosystems, today announced the launch of its first AAM test site in Saudi Arabia. Operations are scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2026 in Riyadh.
“The test site will serve as a controlled real-world validation environment (“sandbox”) designed to evaluate aircraft operations alongside the supporting systems required for safe AAM deployment, including vertiports, digital air traffic management, and secure communication systems,” said SALAAM.earth in a new release. “The first aircraft to participate will be the FlyNow eCopter, an electric unmanned air taxi capable of flying up to 50 km at speeds of 130 km/h and carrying up to two passengers or 200 kg of cargo. The site will assess multiple operational use cases, including urban passenger transport, logistics, and emergency response applications such as firefighting and medical evacuation, evaluating how electric vertical mobility platforms perform across real-world operational scenarios.”
The sandbox was initiated by FlyNow Arabia Ltd, a Saudi-based company established to localize the production, deployment, and commercialization of the eCopter developed by FlyNow Aviation GmbH (Austria).
“As the first operational implementation of the SALAAM.earth framework in Saudi Arabia, the test site brings together member organizations across the AAM value chain: FlyNow Aviation provides the eCopter platform. Skyroads delivers digital air traffic management and automated flight coordination. Unified Aviation provides vertiport and landing infrastructure solutions. Quadron contributes cybersecurity expertise for safety-critical systems. Makonis delivers secure digital infrastructure and system integration. GEME-Aviation provides aviation operations expertise and project coordination. International Advanced Air Mobility Trust (IAAM.Trust) provides a framework for verification and compliance of AAM vehicles operating in low-altitude airspace.”
“We are not just testing the eCopter. Our goal is to establish a complete environment where next-generation aircraft, including those from other developers, can be tested and integrated into real-world infrastructure,” said Yvonne Winter, President of SALAAM.earth. The sandbox supports Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objectives.
For more information
https://www.salaam.earth
(Image: Salaam. earth)