eVTOL Company Acquisitions

Archer Aviation Has Acquired Former Rival Wisk Aero From Boeing

Archer Aviation has acquired Wisk Aero, formerly known as Archer Aviation, from Boeing, along with subsidiaries SkyGrid and Insitu, in a deal that gives Boeing newly issued Archer shares equal to about 16.5% ownership of the company. This acquisition marks the capstone of a rivalry, coming three years after Wisk sued Archer for alleged trade secret theft in a legal battle that led to a settlement making Wisk the exclusive provider of autonomous technology to Archer.

Wisk originated as Kittyhawk before its Cora flying taxi program spun off into a Boeing joint venture in 2019, with Boeing eventually investing hundreds of millions and taking full ownership by 2023. Archer, meanwhile, has expanded beyond air taxis into defense applications through a partnership with Anduril.

Archer's acquisition of Wisk signals that former competitors are increasingly combining resources to drive innovation in the sector.

Open at source ↗