RACL signs MoU with UAE companies to launch helicopter services in Maldives

Regional Airports Company Limited (RACL) has signed an agreement with Air Chateau DWC, a Dubai-based helicopter and vertiport operator, and Wings Capital Management, from Abu Dhabi, to commence helicopter operations in the Maldives.

This partnership aims to roll out a VVIP and HNI air taxi operations, commercial cargo and passenger operations with eVTOLs and advanced air mobility infrastructure across the Maldives under the “Project Elevate Maldives” that enables island air mobility for drones and vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft operations.

“To implement the proposed project, Regional Airport Company Limited – a government entity responsible for domestic airport operations – along with Air Chateau, as Dubai based helicopter operator and Wings Capital Management, as project management facilitator, intend to establish a Public-Private Partnership. In this partnership, Air Chateau will develop a network of vertiports and droneports to connect over 1,200 islands across the Maldives,” the Dubai-based company said in a statement.

"This unique opportunity positions us as an ideal partner for investors in the aviation sector," said Ahmed Mubeen, the Managing Director of RACL.

"We are pleased to establish this understanding with globally recognized firms like Wings Capital Management and Air Chateau."

The Chairman of Air Chateau, Dr. Samir Mohammed underscored the unique opportunity Maldives presents for them to launch this initiative, and said that with a “total addressable market for air tourism transfers estimated at around half a billion dollars annually, the Maldives exemplifies the potential for Island Air Mobility (IAM), similar to the Regional Air Mobility (RAM) and Urban Air Mobility (UAM).

“Our helicopters and future eVTOL operations will simply complement the existing transportation modes, creating a synergistic and convenient hub-and-spoke system.”

The project aims to establish up to 100 hybrid vertiports across 1,200 islands featuring Touch Down and Lift-Off (TLOF) areas, Final Approach and Take-Off (FATO) zones, safety zones, terminal waiting halls, and charging and fire-retardant infrastructure.

Besides this, the project also envisions the development of 500 drone ports dedicated to cargo operations, supporting first-, middle-, and last-mile logistics, all equipped with charging stations and fire-retardant systems.

While RACL has signed with the UAE parties for the ambitious initiative, the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation earlier on August 05^th made the formal announcement of opening the opportunity for interested parties to operate helicopters commercially in the Maldives.

The ministry in its announcement said that its intention, by launching helicopter operations in the Maldives, is to expand the aviation network and improve connectivity for foreign visitors, locals, and for patients requiring medical airlifts.

This is not the first time Maldives is launching helicopter operations in the country, as Hummingbird Helicopters and Maldives Air Taxi, operated commercial helicopters during the 90s but were stopped following a series of fatal accidents.