AeroGulf Plans to Buy Up to 20 SkyDrive eVTOL Aircraft

AeroGulf Services signalled its intention to purchase up to 20 of SkyDrive SD-05 eVTOLs. The agreement announced by the Japanese manufacturer on January 14 with the Dubai-based operator calls for the first 10 deliveries to be made in 2028 with the remaining 10 units to follow in 2029.

The deal builds on a memorandum of understanding that AeroGulf signed in February 2025 that envisaged orders for up to 50 of the three-seat aircraft. The operator, which operates helicopters for services such as cargo, aerial filming and medical missions, plans to operate tourist flights to and from Dubai's Palm Jumeirah development.

Rival U.S. eVTOL aircraft developers Joby and Archer also have their sights set on the UAE. In November, Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) and Joby partner Skyports Infrastructure announced an initial vertiport network site at the Palm Jumeirah’s “Atlantis the Royal” resort. Despite Joby announcing its RTA agreement to be exclusive, Archer also intends to launch services from the Palm.

Underscoring the company’s interest in the Middle East, SkyDrive global intelligence officer Keisuke Yasukochi also participated in an advanced air mobility panel at this week’s UMEX 2026 conference in Abu Dhabi. The event was mainly focused on uncrewed eVTOL applications.

SkyDrive has previously announced provisional sales agreements with operators in Indonesia and the U.S. However, the company said that the agreement with AeroGulf represents its “first detailed exploration of commercial parameters with a customer outside Japan.”