Sabrewing Aircraft Company signs agreement with Saudi Arabia’s ADMC for 102 Rhaegal‑B VTOL cargo drones
Sabrewing Aircraft Company has announced an exclusive representation agreement with Arabian Development & Marketing Co. (ADMC), which includes an order for 102 Rhaegal‑B VTOL cargo aircraft worth $600 million.
The five-year renewable deal will be exclusive to Saudi Arabia, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) — which includes the countries of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — and the Pan-African Region.
The agreement includes establishing aircraft assembly, maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facilities throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Africa, to service the Rhaegal‑B fleet and will provide technology jobs to the region. ADMC has said it will soon begin taking additional aircraft orders throughout the GCC and Africa.
Ed De Reyes, Chairman and CEO of Sabrewing Aircraft Company, said: “We are very pleased to have ADMC as our middle-eastern business partner. It’s a perfect fit for Sabrewing and ADMC management in our mutual quest to pioneer unmanned VTOL cargo aircraft development/manufacturing and dominate this market sector by being the first-to-market this extraordinary aircraft.
“As the first commercial purchase of an unmanned aircraft, this is really groundbreaking and paving the way for a whole new industry.”
Ayman Zeibak, General Manager of ADMC, added: “This agreement brings an emerging-technology, heavy-lift, unmanned cargo capability to the Middle Eastern and the Pan-African marketplace. It also brings advanced technologies in composites manufacturing, drone development and avionic sensor integration to our region.
“In addition to transporting critical supplies to our most remote regions, high-tech local jobs are being created. This program truly supports the vision for Saudi Arabia’s future.”
Sabrewing Aircraft unveiled a prototype of its Rhaegal‑A test vehicle at the US Air Force’s Agility Prime programme in May 2020. De Reyes and Chief Technology Officer Oliver Garrow also gave more details about Sabrewing’s hybrid-electric Rhaegal‑B.

The aircraft is capable of taking off and landing vertically in mud, snow, ice, deep sand or unimproved landing areas — at speeds of up to 200 knots/229 miles per hour.
It can be remotely piloted for commercial operations and is fully autonomous for military applications, with the ability to carry payloads of up to 5,400lb (2,450kg) and fly at altitudes of up to 22,000ft for about 1,800km. The wings fold on the ground for easy ground handling and in the air during hover for landing in tight spaces,
Sabrewing Aircraft has said the Rhaegal’s fold-up nose — similar to a Boeing 747 freighter aircraft — requires no special equipment for loading or unloading cargo in remote locations.
All of its aircraft designs feature folding wings, fold-up noses, full pallet-sized cargo access, all-weather operation, and a first-of-its-kind ten-sensor Detect and Avoid (D&A) system, to autonomously navigate a path around conflicting obstacles and other air traffic.
ADMC will soon be tendering new offers for production-line position orders for the high-capacity, heavy lift, unmanned cargo aircraft, secured by deposits, for deliveries beginning in the fall of 2021.
Steven Chikos, ADMC’s Senior Aerospace/Defense Advisor, added: “After performing an in-depth analysis of several heavy-lift cargo drone companies in the United States, Europe and Asia, Sabrewing’s design, without exception, offers tremendous capability and operates at a fraction of the cost of other cargo aircraft.
“Operating expenses are projected to be 50 per cent to 60 per cent less than similar payload capacity manned cargo aircraft. The Sabrewing – ADMC team is poised to bring this aircraft to market years ahead of its competition.”