US-based helicopter travel service Fly Blade has closed a series B round featuring Airbus Helicopters, a subsidiary of aerospace company Airbus, sized at approximately $38m.
Real estate investment trust Colony NorthStar and venture capital firm Lerer Hippeau co-led the round, which included LionTree Ventures.
Founded in 2014, Blade runs a short-range helicopter, jet and seaplane transport service that operates 22 set routes across seven US states including New York, California, New Jersey and Connecticut. It does not own the aircraft itself, instead using third-party service providers.
Airbus Helicopers invested as part of a strategic partnership that will involve Blade supplying customer and technology services for the Airbus Ride helicopter service in Dallas, Texas, which will henceforth be a co-branded operation.
The companies will also collaborate on an international service they intend to launch in an as-yet undecided market later this year. It will be Blade’s first step outside of the US.
Matthieu Louvot, Airbus Helicopters’ executive vice-president of customer support and services, said: “Airbus Helicopters continues to develop the future of the urban air mobility market, and our alliance with Blade is the next logical step in our quest to offer customers the full spectrum of urban air travel solutions.
“By partnering with Blade, we are setting a strong foundation for the future, which will be the successful deployment of electronic vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) systems.”
Blade raised $6m from Raine Ventures and assorted angel investors in 2015 at a $25m valuation, before Raine Ventures and private investor David Zaslav co-led a series A round of undisclosed size that closed in 2016.
– Photo courtesy of Fly Blade, Inc.