AeroGulf pre-orders 50 SkyDrive aircraft for Dubai services
March 3, 2025
Helicopter charter company AeroGulf intends to acquire up to 50 SkyDrive eVTOL aircraft to deploy on tourist routes in Dubai, marking the Japanese urban air mobility manufacturer’s first foray into the Middle Eastern market.
As outlined in the Letter of Intent, the partnership will focus on exploring what SkyDrive describes as “exploring revolutionary air mobility business opportunities at Dubai’s iconic tourist destination, Palm Jumeirah”. Drawing on AeroGulf’s long-standing reputation as the oldest commercial helicopter in Dubai, “with eVTOL technology, we are taking a bold step towards transforming urban air mobility while maintaining our dedication to safety, efficiency, and exceptional service,” explained AeroGulf Services Company CEO Fahad Mohammad Mir Hashem Khoory.
SkyDrive is currently pursuing concurrent certification of its three-seat SD-05 aircraft in Japan and the US, having received G-1 certification basis from the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) last month. The conforming vehicle is expected to make its official public debut later this year at Japan’s Osaka Expo 2025.
“We have been working on market expansion in the US and Asia so far, and this collaboration with AeroGulf Services marks our first entry into the Middle Eastern market – a major milestone in bringing our eVTOL business vision to life,” commented SkyDrive CEO Tomohiro Fukuzawa.
Various helicopter providers already provide aerial tours of Dubai, including above and around the Palm Jumeirah. However, in anticipation of upcoming eVTOL market entrants, in January this year the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) granted technical design approval to Skyports to construct the first commercial vertiport for Dubai eVTOL services. The Dubai International Vertiport will be the first of four initial facilities around Dubai, with Skyports CEO Duncan Walker commenting: “What we’re undertaking in Dubai – and driving in other regions – completely reimagines the way people travel around cities and between regions”.
