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Joby flexes military muscle with $500 million defense acquisition
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Joby Aviation is buying Dayton-based defense specialist Resonant Sciences for $500 million to add RF, sensing and stealth capabilities to its eVTOL portfolio while keeping its air-taxi business separate.
The acquisition gives Joby an internal defense technology stack that can be merged with its propulsion and autonomy systems, creating a potential revenue source that may offset the heavy cash burn of its commercial air-taxi program. Engineers will have to integrate Resonant’s sensor, antenna and low-observability hardware with existing eVTOL designs, which could affect certification schedules and introduce handling requirements for classified data. The deal is financed mainly with cash, so the company’s balance sheet will show a large outflow before any defense contracts generate income.
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Joby will fund the $500 million purchase with $450 million in cash and $50 million in equity, establishing a dedicated defense division.
Resonant Sciences contributes RF, sensing and stealth technology already qualified on over 20 airframes and staffed by personnel holding military clearances.
The commercial air-taxi unit remains focused on passenger service, while the new defense unit will pursue military contracts and stealth aircraft development.
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