Abu Dhabi, ARIDGE Partner to Launch Flying Cars Program

Abu Dhabi has taken a major step toward the future of transportation with a new partnership between the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) and ARIDGE, Asia’s largest flying car company formerly known as XPENG AEROHT. The agreement aims to speed up the certification, testing, and launch of advanced air mobility technologies in the UAE capital.

Under this strategic deal, ARIDGE will establish operations in Abu Dhabi to develop and test road-air integrated mobility solutions, supported by the emirate’s strong regulatory framework and innovation ecosystem. The move will allow the company to use dedicated testing corridors, explore local market applications, and contribute to Abu Dhabi’s fast-growing Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industries (SAVI) cluster.

The SAVI cluster, a flagship initiative designed to position Abu Dhabi as a global hub for autonomous and smart mobility, is expected to contribute AED 44 billion to the economy and create up to 40,000 high-value jobs by 2045.

The collaboration between ADIO and ARIDGE will focus on four key areas:

• Regulatory acceleration: Working with UAE aviation authorities to develop certification and safety standards for flying vehicles.

• Use case development: Testing real-world applications such as tourism, urban transport, emergency response, and last-mile logistics.

• Market deployment: Building pathways from prototypes to operational services, including infrastructure planning.

• Ecosystem growth: Attracting new investments and technology partners to strengthen Abu Dhabi’s aerial mobility network.

With this initiative, Abu Dhabi is positioning itself as a pioneer in smart, sustainable, and next-generation transport, turning futuristic flying vehicles into a practical reality for urban life.