Designed by the Società Idrovolanti Alta Italia (SIAI) as a smaller version of the earlier S.12, the S.13 was a single-engine biplane reconnaissance-fighter flying boat powered by a 187 kW (251 hp) Isotta Fraschini V.6 engine.

Emile Taddéoli, a Swiss flight pioneer was hired as test pilot for Savoia in mid-1914.

On 12 July 1919, with a passenger on board, he flew from Calende on Lago Maggiore to Lake Geneva in 110 minutes, overflying the Mont Blanc (4,695 m (15,404 ft)) massif in a SIAI S.13.

The Royal Italian Navy took delivery of 12 aircraft in 1919, and examples were exported to Japan, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and Yugoslavia.

A single-seat version, the S.13 Tipo, was ordered by the Royal Italian Navy, but was later cancelled when the Royal Navy decided to develop the Macchi M.7 instead and a civilian version, the S.13bis, failed to attract any orders.