Joby will acquire Blade’s urban passenger business

On August 4, 2025, Joby Aviation (NYSE:JOBY) struck a deal to acquire Blade Air Mobility’s (NASDAQ:BLDE) urban passenger business—including the Blade brand and operations in the U.S. and Europe—for up to $125 million, with $35 million tied to performance and retention milestones

This is a logical step for Joby, which is projected to be a leader in the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) air taxi sector.

Blade’s Medical Division is not part of Joby’s acquisition, but nevertheless will cooperate with Joby on medical transportation, becoming its preferred eVTOL partner.

“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. With access to the infrastructure they have secured and the loyal customer base they have developed, we will be in the best possible position to launch our quiet, electric aircraft as soon as certification is secured.” – JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO, Joby Aviation.

“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.”… “It’s crystal clear from their progress on certification to the successful demonstration flights in New York and Dubai that this is the best possible home for our fliers, our team and our partners” – Blade founder and CEO Rob Wiesenthal

Why This Matters

Built-In Infrastructure & Network

Blade currently operates a network of 12 urban terminals, including dedicated lounge and takeoff hubs at JFK, Newark, and multiple Manhattan locations, including Wall Street, and Manhattan’s East and West Side. The platform served over 50,000 passengers in 2024—giving Joby an immediate urban footprint and a large loyal customer base.

Operational Expertise & Brand Equity

Blade’s urban passenger business will continue as a wholly-owned subsidiary, led by CEO Rob Wiesenthal, ensuring continuity. Blade’s decade of vertical‑lift operations yields valuable know‑how and brand credibility that Joby can leverage as it transitions to clean, electric eVTOL service.

Transition to eVTOL with ElevateOS Integration

Joby plans a phased hybrid operation—initially helicopters and eVTOLs, gradually shifting fully to its electric aircraft. Blade operations will be powered by Joby’s ElevateOS software for route optimization and passenger experience enhancements

Strengthened Medical Missions via Strata Partnerships

Blade’s profitable medical transport division, which includes its organ transplant transportation services, is excluded from the deal and will spin off as Strata Critical Medical. Blade’s medical division was responsible for roughly two-thirds of Blade’s revenue in Q1 2025 (almost $35 B out of $54 B total revenue). Joby will be its preferred VTOL partner, opening strategic paths in mission-critical medical logistics and use cases beyond passenger mobility. Blade has agreements with other eVTOL OEMs including Beta Technologies which manufactures the Alia eVTOL aircraft and it is uncertain how this recent acquisition by Joby and current agreements will affect Beta Technologies and other OEMs.

Strategic Timing & Next Steps

• Joby continues preparing for FAA Type Inspection flight testing, expected early 2026, a key milestone toward commercial certification
• With the Blade acquisition integrated, Joby plans to launch the first passenger eVTOL service in Dubai by 2026, leveraging partnerships like Skyports for infrastructure support 
• Joby also finalized a $894 million investment from Toyota (first tranche $250M confirmed in May 2025), enabling accelerated manufacturing and certification efforts

More Info:

Joby’s Official Press Release: click here

Blade’s Q1 results: click here