Joby Aviation Acquires Blade Air Mobility's Passenger Division

Strategic Acquisition Expands Joby Aviation's Urban Air Mobility Reach

Joby Aviation has made a significant move in the urban air mobility sector by signing a definitive agreement to acquire the passenger business of Blade Air Mobility. This acquisition is aimed at accelerating the commercialization of electric air taxis and strengthening Joby’s position in the emerging market.

Under the terms of the deal, Joby will compensate Blade with either stock or cash, up to $125 million, subject to customary indemnity provisions and performance milestones. The transaction includes all of Blade's passenger operations in the United States and Europe, along with the Blade brand. However, it does not include Blade's Medical division.

The acquisition is expected to close in the coming weeks, pending the fulfillment of standard closing conditions. Once completed, Joby will leverage Blade's established urban air mobility operations while maintaining a partnership for medical transportation services.

A New Chapter for Blade's Medical Division

Blade's medical transportation services will be rebranded as Strata Critical Medical and will continue under the leadership of Blade's founder and CEO, Rob Wiesenthal. He will remain at the helm of the company as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Joby.

Wiesenthal expressed his confidence in the future of Blade, stating, “Blade was founded with the mission of democratising short-distance air travel by facilitating the transition from conventional rotorcraft to quiet, emissions-free electric aircraft, and I believe there is no better partner than Joby to make that mission a reality.”

Expanding into Key Markets

This acquisition provides Joby with immediate access to key urban markets, particularly in New York City and Southern Europe. It also allows Joby to combine its cutting-edge technology with Blade's decade-long experience in offering premium transportation services at scale.

Joby plans to launch passenger operations in Dubai next year, leveraging Blade's existing infrastructure to transition a loyal customer base from traditional helicopter services to its next-generation aircraft. Blade has already demonstrated its capabilities, successfully transporting more than 50,000 passengers through a network of 12 urban terminals in major air mobility markets.

These terminals include dedicated facilities at John F. Kennedy International Airport, Newark Liberty Airport, and various locations in Manhattan. Joby's ElevateOS software, designed for efficient air taxi operations, will be integrated into Blade's systems to enhance cost efficiency and improve the passenger experience.

Leadership and Vision

Joby Aviation founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt emphasized the strategic importance of the acquisition, saying, “This is a strategically important acquisition that will support the successful launch of Joby’s commercial operations in Dubai, our subsequent global rollout and our continued leadership in the sector. Over the last decade, Rob and the team at Blade have built a world-class passenger experience that demonstrates the value of vertical lift.”

In addition to this acquisition, Joby has been actively expanding its capabilities. In June of this year, the company announced a partnership with Flexcompute to advance the development of its next-generation eVTOL aircraft using Flexcompute's leading solver, Flow360.

Looking Ahead

With this acquisition, Joby is well-positioned to lead the next phase of urban air mobility. By combining Blade's operational expertise with its own innovative technology, the company is taking a major step toward making electric air taxis a viable and sustainable option for urban transportation. As the industry continues to evolve, Joby's strategic moves are setting the stage for a new era of aerial travel.