Joby Makes Its Move: Is the Blade Bet Worth It?

Joby buys Blade’s passenger business to gain routes and terminals while electric air taxis await certification

5 Aug 2025

Joby Aviation has agreed to acquire Blade Air Mobility’s passenger business for as much as $125mn, a sum that includes about $35mn in milestone-based payments. The transaction gives Joby access to established routes, terminals and customers as the company prepares for the commercial launch of electric air taxis in major US cities.

The deal comes as developers push to introduce quieter, lower-emission aircraft into dense urban areas. By taking over Blade’s network in markets such as New York, Joby gains infrastructure that would have taken years to assemble. Its electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, however, cannot operate until regulators complete their certification review, making early service plans provisional.

Analysts say the acquisition goes beyond expanding Joby’s footprint. Blade has built airport partnerships, worked through local operating rules and refined high-frequency routes, giving it practical experience in running short-haul urban services. That operational base offers Joby a view of daily service patterns that prototypes and modelling cannot fully reproduce. Commentators argue that securing physical access and predictable demand now gives Joby an advantage over rivals still building their first networks.

Joby executives describe the transaction as a way to accelerate the introduction of quiet, zero-emission aircraft once approvals are secured. They point to rising congestion and city-level pressure to cut carbon emissions as drivers of future demand for short-range electric flights. Blade said its medical transport division will remain separate and is not included in the sale.

Regulatory hurdles remain significant. Electric aircraft must show consistent performance in varied weather and comply with stringent safety rules. Some investors caution that delays in certification could slow Joby’s rollout. Still, the company’s move to lock in essential infrastructure and customer channels is viewed as reducing long-term execution risk.

If Joby meets forthcoming regulatory milestones, limited commercial services could begin in the next few years, marking an early step toward cleaner aviation and reshaping mobility in several US metropolitan areas.