Boeing ditches flying taxis before crash and burn

Survivors are looking for money-making alternatives. Archer's main rival Joby Aviation bought Blade Air Mobility's passenger business in August 2025 for up to $125 million in a cash-and-stock deal. The helicopter-focused operation currently supplies nearly all of its revenue. Vermont-based BETA Technologies is testing electric aircraft for cargo and medical logistics, including a recent FAA-backed flight carrying an animal organ.

Meanwhile, the United States government is quickly becoming a top customer. Archer will inherit a profitable drone manufacturer earning over $200 million in annual revenue. Joby went further Tuesday, agreeing to pay $500 million for Resonant Sciences, a defense electronics firm whose sales grew 40% last year to $100 million in the last 12 months.

Still, investors with conviction in a Jetsons-like future of passenger air travel should budget for a long taxi to the runway.