Japan’s SkyDrive Plans Electric Air Taxi Service Out of Augusta Regional Airport

The company is also eyeing a pair of airports in South Carolina to bolster its network in the U.S., where it intends to launch operations as soon as 2026.

Jack Daleo

Friday, March 15, 2024 at 03:25 PM ET

Verified

SkyDrive’s three-seat eVTOL air taxi may fly in Georgia as soon as 2026. [Courtesy: SkyDrive]

Key Takeaways:

Japanese eVTOL manufacturer SkyDrive is expanding its U.S. market presence, signing a letter of intent with Bravo Air in Augusta, Georgia, for a preorder of up to five SD-05 air taxis.
The partnership aims to develop commercial air taxi services out of Augusta Regional Airport, building on SkyDrive's existing relationships and plans for an eVTOL network in the Southeast U.S.
The three-seat SkyDrive SD-05 eVTOL is designed for short-range, on-demand urban air mobility, with manufacturing in partnership with Suzuki and target airworthiness certification in Japan by 2025.
SkyDrive envisions an eco-friendly, quiet air taxi service integrating into existing transportation, with U.S. operations, particularly in South Carolina and Georgia, targeted for 2026.

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Automobiles are some of Japan’s most popular exports to the U.S., but a Japanese startup is looking to deliver a very different kind of vehicle to the States.

Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi manufacturer SkyDrive on Friday signed a letter of intent (LOI) with Augusta, Georgia-based private charter operator Bravo Air for a preorder of up to five Skydrive SD-05 models. SkyDrive and Bravo will develop commercial use cases for the three-seat aircraft out of a hub at Augusta Regional Airport (KAGS), with the intention of adopting the former’s business model for air taxi services in the region.