Augusta, GA
SkyDrive and Bravo Air team up at Augusta Regional Airport
SkyDrive, a leading Japanese eVTOL aircraft manufacturer, and Bravo Air, a well-established private air charter service operator based in Augusta, GA, USA, have signed a letter of intent for the purchase of up to (5) “SD-05 “SKYDRIVE” aircraft. The agreement also includes the formation of a “Partnership” to conduct joint studies in the development of use cases originating from Augusta Regional Airport to scale Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) within the region including the adaption of SkyDrive`s business model for air taxi services.
This collaboration builds off our existing relationship with key stakeholders in South Carolina and the progress made to make its Air Taxi Services available to potential customers within the region marking a significant milestone in SkyDrive’s journey to bring safe, sustainable, efficient air travel to local communities.
The partnership with Bravo Air represents a bold step forward in expanding our presence beyond South Carolina and into Georgia. SkyDrive aims to establish a thriving eVTOL air taxi network that connects Augusta Regional Airport to various destinations across the region, providing a seamless last-mile mobility experience for commuters and travelers alike. This exciting venture would not have been possible without the overwhelming support from state and local governments.
SkyDrive is committed to collaborating closely with Bravo Air and the State of Georgia to cultivate a robust operational AAM infrastructure that benefits regional airports and operators with the goal of creating a connected, environmentally friendly Air Taxi network that serves the needs of local communities while promoting economic growth and opportunity.
SkyDrive has indicated their intent to continue working alongside key stakeholders in both Georgia and South Carolina to make this vision a reality and invites all Part 135 Operators and related stakeholders interested to join us on this thrilling journey into the future of the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) industry.
Dann Standard, VP Operations of Bravo Air said, “Bravo Air is thrilled to be working with SkyDrive on revolutionizing AAM in the United States. Bravo Air was honored to have recently visited SkyDrive in Japan and had the opportunity to meet the teams working diligently to bring AAM development into a reality. We are excited to be a part of a collaborative effort to bring more environmentally conscious air travel options to the Augusta area and beyond. “
“We are pleased to welcome SkyDrive to the Augusta Regional Airport and the Central Savannah River Area,” said Mayor Garnett Johnson. “We see our vision for a greener future coming to fruition with companies starting to adopt these new electric aircraft and embracing these new eco-friendly technologies. ”
“We would like to congratulate SkyDrive and Bravo Air on their new partnership,” stated Mr. Herbert Judon, Executive Director. “The Augusta Regional Airport staff have worked diligently to prepare the infrastructure necessary to support the needs of this new industry. We are pleased to see this nascent industry start to grow and expand in our market.”
Tomohiro Fukuzawa, Founder and CEO of SkyDrive said, “As we embark on this new partnership with Bravo Air, we are thrilled to witness not only the growth of SkyDrive but also the broader eVTOL industry in the U.S. market. This collaboration with Bravo Air marks a significant step forward in our shared objective of advancing AAM development, particularly in the Southeast region in the U.S. We are excited about the transformative potential of this partnership and the opportunities it presents for innovation, sustainability, and continued progress in our industry”.
Augusta, GA
Structure fire blocks multiple lanes on Peach Orchard Road
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office and Augusta Fire Department responded to a structure fire early Saturday morning in the 3600 block of Peach Orchard Road.
Fire truck shortage forces local departments to wait years for equipment
Emergency crews blocked multiple lanes as they battled the fire, according to a Facebook post from the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.
News 12 has reached out to the Augusta Fire Department to determine the cause of the fire and to inquire about any reported injuries.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
Augusta, GA
Finding Solutions: Augusta Juvenile Court receives grant for gang prevention
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Augusta Juvenile Court received a grant of more than $1 million to prevent youth from joining gangs by addressing underlying factors that lead to criminal behavior.
The grant from the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council will allow the court to expand services beyond its current programs and serve a broader population of at-risk youth.
“This allows us to build on the work we are currently doing. It also allows us to serve a different population of youth that we have not been able to serve on such an extended level, so we have additional funds that will serve even more kids and to hopefully assist the sheriff and district attorney in not having youthful offenders become adult offenders that they have to obtain and prosecute,” said Chief Judge Tianna Bias.
Addressing root causes
The funding will target factors that make youth vulnerable to gang recruitment, including poor school attendance and reading difficulties.
“Whether it’s that they have poor school attendance, not reading on grade level. One thing we’ve seen is that when you are not reading on grade level that has an impact on many other areas of your life. It’s really just an opportunity to offer wrap-around support for these kids so we can prevent them from getting into unfortunate situations that they may not end up in front of a juvenile court judge later,” Bias said.
Dr. Audrey Armistad, chief intake officer for the juvenile court, said the court’s goal is rehabilitation rather than detention.
“We put them in programs and services that help them to be able to develop mentally, socially and physically when it comes to kids involved with the juvenile court,” Armistad said.

Expanding services
The juvenile court currently serves at-risk youth through the THRIVE program. The court is also expanding services with a new computer lab set to open next month.
“It helps us to be able to provide instruction to kids getting GEDs, parents wanting GEDs, as well as we provide learning loss instruction to kids enrolled in Richmond County who may need remediation in math and reading,” Armistad said.
A gang prevention expert will meet with the juvenile court team to provide recommendations on how the grant money should be spent.
Bias said success will be measured by fewer teens in courtrooms and more in classrooms.
“We are meant to rehabilitate not to punish and we want to help these parents get kids on track so we can see a better Augusta for everyone,” Bias said.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
Augusta, GA
AU to cut ribbon on new Student Health Services building
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Augusta University is set to cut the ribbon on a new Student Health Services building on Friday.
The ribbon cutting will be held at 2:30 p.m. at 1465 Laney Walker Boulevard in Augusta.
The event will showcase the field of college health and the role the services have on students’ personal development and academic success.
The clinic relocated to the new space last month to make way for AU’s advanced research and clinical innovation, according to officials.
At the event, there will also be snacks, interactive games and clinic tours.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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