Joby Aviation announced it will acquire Dayton, Ohio-based defense firm Resonant Sciences in a $500 million transaction, TechCrunch reported. The electric aircraft developer plans to fund the purchase using $450 million in cash and $50 million in equity. The transaction is projected to close in early 2027, after which Resonant will operate as Joby's dedicated defense division.
Resonant Sciences, founded in 2015, employs approximately 250 people and develops systems for aircraft operating in complex environments and war zones. Its products include sensors, antennas, and signal-processing technologies designed to secure communications and protect against signal interference. The firm also specializes in low-observability expertise to make aircraft harder to detect, with products already qualified across more than 20 commercial and defense airframes. Many of Resonant's staff hold military clearances due to the classified nature of their work.
Joby stated that the acquisition will combine its own propulsion and autonomy systems with Resonant’s radio frequency, sensing, and mission capabilities to design and build stealth aircraft. Meanwhile, Joby's commercial division will remain focused on electric air taxis, with initial commercial launches expected later this year.
The acquisition comes as electric aviation developers turn to military contracts while facing high costs and regulatory hurdles in commercial passenger service. In the second quarter of 2026, Joby reported $38.6 million in revenue alongside a net loss of $245.4 million. Joby's ties with the military date back to 2016, when it joined the Department of Defense's Defense Innovation Unit project. In 2020, Joby received airworthiness approval and flight clearance from the U.S. Air Force, followed by the delivery of its first aircraft to Edwards Air Force Base for government testing in 2023.
Defense partnerships and consolidation are accelerating across the sector. Last month, San Jose-based Archer Aviation unveiled an aircraft co-developed with defense technology firm Anduril. Boeing announced it is selling three of its eVTOL subsidiaries to Archer as part of a separate transaction.
