Electric air taxi pioneer Joby Aviation is quietly pivoting into a new role: defense contractor. A $500 million acquisition announced Tuesday reshapes the company's structure, creating a dedicated military-focused division while the core business pushes toward commercial launch. Main Developments Joby will acquire Resonant Sciences, an Ohio-based maker of radio frequency and sensor systems, for $500 million in cash and stock. The deal, disclosed in a regulatory filing, transforms Resonant into a standalone defense unit within Joby, led by its co-founder and CEO J. Micah North. That new division absorbs all of Joby's defense work, including a turbine-electric and hydrogen-electric aircraft and its autonomy stack. Meanwhile, the rest of Joby focuses exclusively on certifying, manufacturing, and launching its commercial electric air taxi service. Read also: Fake Wi-Fi on Delta Flight Raises Cybersecurity Questions Beyond the strategic realignment, the acquisition delivers immediate financial heft. Resonant brings $100 million in trailing 12-month revenue and access to classified U.S. government programs, giving Joby a profitable, cash-generating arm. Resonant's radio frequency and sensing expertise also complements Joby's own electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) technology, creating potential synergies between sensing systems and aircraft platforms. Background Joby, which went public in 2021 via a SPAC merger, has long touted its all-electric S4 aircraft for urban air mobility. But the company has quietly built a defense footprint over the past two years. Last year, Joby partnered with L3Harris Technologies to explore a gas-turbine hybrid VTOL aircraft for defense, based on the S4 platform. In 2024, under a government contract, Joby demonstrated a hydrogen-electric hybrid version that flew 521 miles—more than double the range of its battery-electric prototype. The Resonant deal is not Joby's first revenue-generating acquisition. In 2025, it bought Blade Air Mobility's helicopter rideshare business for about $125 million, gaining instant access to 12 terminals in key markets like New York City, including JFK and Newark airports. Why It Matters Developing, certifying, and mass-producing eVTOLs is a costly, years-long endeavor—exactly the kind of frontier tech that excites investors until they demand returns. Joby's defense pivot provides a pragmatic answer: near-term revenue to fund long-term air taxi ambitions. The Blade acquisition already demonstrated this playbook. In the second quarter alone, Joby reported $38.6 million in revenue, with $36.2 million coming from Blade's helicopter business. Now Resonant adds another revenue stream with government contracts. Defense work also de-risks Joby's technology development. The hydrogen-electric and autonomy projects, funded and tested through government programs, advance capabilities that could eventually benefit commercial operations. What's Next The Resonant acquisition is expected to close pending regulatory approvals. Once complete, the new defense division will begin integrating Joby's existing defense projects, with J. Micah North at the helm. Investors will watch for how quickly Joby can convert Resonant's classified program access into additional contracts, and whether the defense unit can sustain revenue growth while the commercial air taxi certification proceeds.