FlyNow becomes first Saudi flying taxi maker after Austrian buyout, moves HQ to Riyadh
What's the deal? FlyNow Arabia has acquired a majority stake in Austria's FlyNow AviationDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → GmbH and moved the combined company's global headquarters to Riyadh. The move makes FlyNow the first Saudi company focused on developing and manufacturing pilotless flying taxis and cargo drones, according to the company.
What each side brings: FlyNow develops the eCopter, a fully electric, pilotless aircraft for air taxi, logistics, and emergency services. The Austrian entity holds the engineering roots; the Saudi acquirer brings the capital and a new home base.
What changes: Saudi Arabia becomes the central hub for FlyNow's intellectual property, engineering, manufacturing, testing, and commercialisation.
The product: The eCopter flies automatically along predefined routes without a pilot. It carries up to two passengers or 200kg of cargo, travels up to 50km at speeds up to 130km/h, and produces zero operational emissions. Its noise level of about 55dB(A) is "comparable to a dishwasher," the company says, with operating costs it likens to a ground taxi ride.
The expansion: FlyNow is preparing to begin eCopter flight testing in Riyadh through the SALAAM.earth Automated Air Mobility sandbox. The eCopter will be the first aircraft tested there, validating the aircraft, vertiports, air traffic management, and safety systems needed for automated passenger, cargo, and emergency services.
Why now? The relocation aligns with Saudi Vision 2030, the Kingdom's plan to localise advanced technology and build new industries. FlyNow says it wants to help grow a "Saudi-made electric aviation industry" and strengthen the country's position in urban air mobility.
The signal: Saudi Arabia is buying its way into frontier aviation, acquiring European engineering to anchor manufacturing and IP at home. For eVTOL developers, Gulf capital and regulatory sandboxes are becoming a fast route from prototype to real-world testing.
Read more: Urban Air Mobility News
Image credit: Generated with Gemini
