Joby to Acquire Blade’s Passenger Division in $125 Million Deal

Electric aircraft developer Joby Aviation has announced plans to acquire the passenger division of Blade Air Mobility for $125 million, aiming to accelerate its commercial launch by gaining access to Blade’s infrastructure, routes, and customer base. The acquisition will be paid in cash or stock.

Blade operates helicopter and charter jet services in areas like New York and Southern Europe—regions well suited to Joby’s electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, which can carry a pilot and four passengers up to 100 miles. The deal excludes Blade’s medical transport division, which accounted for over half of its $250 million revenue last year and will continue as a standalone public company under the name Strata Critical Medical.

The transaction positions Joby to scale its operations ahead of planned FAA certification testing in early 2026, and the company expects its first commercial passenger flights the same year. Rob Wiesenthal, Blade’s CEO, will continue to lead the passenger operations as they transition under Joby’s ownership.

Joby’s aircraft, which combine elements of helicopters and planes, feature six tilting propellers and fixed wings to enable vertical takeoff and efficient flight. The company has also gained operational tools and an app platform originally developed by a team from Uber, further strengthening its customer experience and backend systems.

While both Joby and Blade remain unprofitable, Blade has noted that its helicopter flights between Manhattan and JFK reach breakeven with just two passengers—a threshold that electric aircraft could lower even further thanks to reduced maintenance costs.

The deal comes amid rising momentum in the air taxi sector, where companies like Beta Technologies and Archer Aviation are also working toward certification. To navigate regulatory delays, many firms have partnered with the U.S. Department of Defense. Joby, for example, is working with L3Harris Technologies on a hybrid military aircraft, with test flights set to begin this fall.

As Joby prepares for FAA certification and its first commercial flights, the acquisition of Blade’s passenger business marks a strategic step toward operational readiness and market entry. With infrastructure, routes, and customer access now in place, Joby is positioned to transition from prototype to passenger service more swiftly than many competitors.