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 has partnered with U.S. private charter operator Bravo Air for a preorder of up to five SD-05 air taxis to develop commercial air taxi services based out of Augusta, Georgia.
This collaboration is part of SkyDrive's broader strategy to establish an eVTOL air taxi network across the U.S. Southeast, building on existing partnerships in South Carolina and receiving support from state and local stakeholders.
The three-seat SkyDrive SD-05 eVTOL, manufactured in partnership with Suzuki, aims for an on-demand, quiet urban air mobility service, with targets for Japanese certification by 2025 and U.S. operations by 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.