Joby Aviation acquires Blade helicopter rideshare unit in $125M deal

The acquisition price for Blade Air Mobility is $125 million; details about whether this transaction involves cash or stock have not been disclosed. The deal is expected to close within weeks. Following news of the acquisition, Joby's share price rose by up to 21%, reaching a new record high for the company. Meanwhile, shares of Blade increased by as much as 31%, boosting its market value close to $400 million.

Joby intends to use Blade’s U.S. and European routes as stepping stones toward introducing air taxi operations in those markets. As part of this strategy, Joby will acquire both infrastructure and customers from Blade while integrating the brand into its offerings. The medical division will operate independently but continue working alongside Joby on patient transport.

The company aims to begin commercial service in 2026 starting from Dubai, leveraging recent expansions at its Marina, California manufacturing facility where it plans annual production of 24 aircraft.

Competition in electric air taxis remains strong: Archer Aviation is advancing development of its Midnight VTOL model with performance similar to Joby's S4. Archer’s Midnight uses six battery packs powering twelve propellers—six dedicated for vertical lift—with United Airlines having placed a conditional order worth $1 billion for 200 units plus options valued at another $500 million (https://www.simpleflying.com/archer-aviation-united-airlines-electric-air-taxi-order/).

Other companies are focusing on commuter-scale electric planes like Heart Aerospace's ES-30 hybrid-electric aircraft which offers full-electric ranges up to 110 nautical miles (200 km) or hybrid operation up to 220 nautical miles (400 km). Orders total 250 units among airlines such as Air Canada (30), Mesa Airlines (100), Rockton leasing firm (20), and United Airlines (100) (https://www.simpleflying.com/heart-aerospace-es-30-orders-summary/).

Joby previously acquired Uber's Elevate division—which came with a $75 million investment from Uber—and established partnerships with Delta Air Lines offering “home-to-airport” flights in cities like New York and Los Angeles.

According to Joby executives: "With preexisting infrastructure and Blade's customer base, Joby has a significant opportunity to establish itself as a major player in the air taxi industry."