SkyGrid and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia’s premier graduate research university, have announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), formalized at the Kennedy Center during the U.S.–Saudi Investment Forum as part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Washington, D.C. The MoU establishes a framework to explore, develop, and advance next-generation AAM technologies and operations across the Kingdom.
The collaboration brings together SkyGrid’s expertise in high-assurance digital airspace integration and KAUST’s leadership in scientific research, technology innovation, and national-level ecosystem development. Together, 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 (GACA) and international aviation standards.
Under the MoU, SkyGrid and KAUST 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.
“Saudi Arabia is making bold strides toward next-generation, sustainable aviation, and we are proud to support that vision,” said Jia Xu, CEO of SkyGrid. “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, ATM automation, national AAM readiness, and a globally leading innovation ecosystem.”
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.
“Partnering with SkyGrid reflects KAUST’s mission to translate world-class research into transformative solutions for the Kingdom,” said Sir Edward Byrne, President of KAUST. “By leveraging KAUST’s strengths in data, autonomy, and systems engineering alongside SkyGrid’s advanced airspace and flight technologies, Saudi Arabia is poised to emerge as a global leader in Advanced Air Mobility. This collaboration will catalyze new industries, enhance national capabilities, and shape the future of movement and logistics.”
