SAE International and the Vertical Flight Society (VFS) have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration in advancing vertical flight and its role in the broader mobility ecosystem. Signed at the 2025 Paris Air Show in Le Bourget, France, the partnership supports both organizations’ shared commitment to promoting global safety, innovation, and sustainability in aerospace through joint initiatives, technical programs, and professional development.
Under the MoU, SAE and VFS will engage in a broad range of strategic activities to benefit their global communities including co-developing and cross-promoting technical content, reciprocal participation at flagship events such as the VFS Annual Forum and SAE’s AeroTech and offering joint professional development opportunities. The MoU also establishes pathways for sharing resources, collaborating on community-building efforts and supporting global standards development through increased VFS participation in SAE technical committees.
“This partnership with VFS aligns with SAE’s mission to advance mobility knowledge and solutions for the benefit of humanity,” said Dr. Jacqueline El-Sayed, CEO of SAE International. “Through this partnership, our organizations can effectively address the challenges and opportunities of next-generation vertical flight technologies while advancing knowledge and strengthening the community to drive meaningful progress in this rapidly evolving field.”
“It’s an honor to formalize this partnership with SAE International,” said Angelo Collins, executive director of the Vertical Flight Society. “By working together, we’ll more effectively advance critical vertical flight research and development, leveraging SAE’s expansive network and infrastructure to accelerate progress toward our shared goals.”
The MoU also provides opportunities for joint promotional activities, shared accessibility to educational content, and collaboration between local SAE sections and VFS chapters. This strategic alliance reinforces SAE’s and VFS’s commitment to advancing the future of aerospace through consensus-building, knowledge sharing, and cross-sector engagement.