ARIDGE, formerly XPENG AEROHT, has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates, the company said. The signing took place in the presence of Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, a UAE Supreme Council member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, and under the oversight of the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority.
The two parties will jointly establish an Advanced Air Mobility regulatory sandbox in the UAE and will also advance planning and implementation of an inter-emirate demonstration route connecting Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah. The sandbox is to be led by the Ras Al Khaimah Transport Authority, where ARIDGE will conduct flight validation in desert conditions, evaluate aircraft performance across representative operational scenarios and refine procedures within controlled airspace.
The demonstration route is intended as a platform for assessing the requirements of future inter-emirate advanced air mobility services, covering flight planning, airspace coordination, ground support, passenger handling, aircraft turnaround and safety management. The company said the programme would be the first national-level regulatory sandbox in the Middle East for a Chinese flying car company, and described it as the first testing sandbox dedicated to personal low-altitude flight.
Sheikh Saud said the value of technology lies in the difference it makes to people's lives and in its ability to support development and improve services. He said Ras Al Khaimah is using innovation and new technologies to support economic growth and quality of life and to reinforce the emirate's competitiveness as a place to live, work, invest and visit.
ARIDGE also conducted a live formation flight demonstration of its modular flying car, the Land Aircraft Carrier, at a reception hosted by the Chinese Embassy at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, marking the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the 42nd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the UAE. Chinese Ambassador Zeng Jixin, representatives of the UAE government and business community and international guests attended.