Joby Aviation acquires Blade’s urban passenger business, eyes global rollout

Joby Aviation has announced the acquisition of Blade Air Mobility’s urban air passenger operations, a move set to fast-track the rollout of Joby’s electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The deal, valued at up to US$125 million in cash or stock, excludes Blade’s medical transport division, which will continue as a separate public company under the new name Strata Critical Medical.

Crucially, Joby will become the preferred eVTOL partner for Strata’s organ transport operations wherever Joby has a presence. This strategic alignment strengthens Joby’s entry into high-value, mission-critical air medical services and highlights the growing importance of eVTOL aircraft beyond just passenger mobility.

The partnership will also enable the integration of Joby’s ElevateOS software into Blade’s operations, boosting efficiency and enhancing the user experience across both urban passenger and future medical missions.

“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,” said JoeBen Bevirt, CEO of Joby Aviation. “With access to the infrastructure they have secured and the loyal customer base they have developed, we will be in the best possible position.”

Blade’s passenger operations, which carried over 50,000 passengers in 2024 across 12 terminals in New York and Europe, will continue uninterrupted under Blade CEO Rob Wiesenthal.

“Blade was founded with the mission of democratizing short-distance air travel… and I believe there is no better partner than Joby to make that mission a reality,” said Wiesenthal.

The transaction is expected to close in the coming weeks, pending customary conditions.

Japanese eVTOL manufacturer SkyDrive recently formed a new partnership with 7A Drones and Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute to establish medical flights on Taiwanese islands.