SkyDrive is ramping up efforts to introduce eVTOL air taxi services in South Carolina. The Japanese aircraft developer has teamed up with private charter operator SAI Flight and Greenville Downtown Airport to explore business opportunities and potential flight routes for the three-seat SkyDrive SD-05 eVTOL aircraft.
As part of the arrangement, announced on November 20, SAI Flight agreed to pre-order 10 SkyDrive eVTOL aircraft. The Part 135 operator plans to use the aircraft for on-demand air taxi services and is looking into additional applications, such as cargo transport and emergency response. Its existing fleet includes Beechcraft King Air, Bombardier Challenger, and Learjet models.
SAI Flight has two facilities in upstate South Carolina: Greenville Downtown Airport (KGMU), a general aviation airport three miles east of downtown Greenville, and Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (KGSP), the state’s third-busiest commercial airport. Located 8 miles east of KGMU in Greer, South Carolina, KGSP serves more than 2.5 million passengers annually.
Air taxi routes in South Carolina would likely include flights between KGSP and KGMU, connecting airline passengers to downtown Greenville. With a cruise speed of 54 knots, the SkyDrive SD-05 aircraft could complete that trip in less than 10 minutes. Depending on traffic, that trip takes 20 minutes to an hour by road.
“At SAI Flight, we see this partnership as a vital step toward enhancing our business model and delivering greater value to our customers,” said SAI president Hunter Cuthbertson. “This collaboration not only allows us to expand our range of on-demand transportation options but also aligns with our commitment to advancing sustainable practices in the aviation sector.”
SkyDrive, based in the city of Toyota, Japan, has been planting roots in South Carolina for the past two years, forming partnerships and working with local airports and government entities to lay the foundation for an advanced air mobility ecosystem in the state. In July 2023, SkyDrive established a U.S. subsidiary with headquarters in Beaufort, South Carolina. It has also partnered with Columbia Metropolitan Airport in the state's Midlands region.
Last week, FEAM Aero agreed to provide maintenance, repair, and overhaul support for the SD-05 aircraft. The Miami-based group has a network of 52 line stations in the U.S. and Europe supporting airlines and private aircraft operators.
With 273 aircraft pre-ordered, SkyDrive holds provisional sales agreements with multiple U.S.-based business aircraft operators—including Austin Aviation in South Carolina’s Lowcountry region and Bravo Air in Georgia—as well as customers in Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam.
The FAA accepted SkyDrive’s application for a type certificate in June. SkyDrive aims to secure U.S. approval via the FAA’s validation of the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) certification it aims to obtain in 2026. SkyDrive is also working with JCAB on provisional airworthiness approval that would allow it to conduct public flight demonstrations with the SD-05 during the 2025 World Expo event in Osaka.