Archer Aviation has acquired its former competitor, Wisk Aero
The American company Archer Aviation announced that it has acquired Wisk Aero, a developer of electric aircraft that was previously its competitor. Under the terms of the deal, Boeing agreed to sell Wisk Aero and two other subsidiaries—SkyGrid and Insitu—to Archer in exchange for a stake in Archer. Following the deal, Boeing now owns 16.5% of Archer’s shares, according to TechCrunch.
SkyGrid develops software for digital airspace and air traffic management, while Insitu manufactures drones. The deal comes at a time when developers of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft are navigating lengthy regulatory processes ahead of the potential launch of air taxis.
Wisk and Archer were previously involved in litigation. In 2021, Wisk filed a lawsuit against Archer, accusing the company of allegedly misappropriating confidential information and intellectual property. Two years later, the parties reached a settlement that resolved this lawsuit and Archer’s $1 billion counterclaim against Wisk, and also marked the beginning of a partnership between the companies.
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Wisk Aero traces its origins to the startup Kitty Hawk, which operated in the field of electric aviation. Kitty Hawk shut down in September 2022, but its Cora program—which was spun off into a joint venture with Boeing—continued to operate. This joint venture was later named Wisk Aero.
Separately, electric air taxi developer Joby Aviation announced the acquisition of Resonant Sciences for $500 million. Resonant Sciences manufactures radio frequency and sensor systems and will become Joby’s defense division under the name Joby Defense. Joby states that it is continuing to work on the certification and production of eVTOLs for urban transportation, while simultaneously expanding its operations in the defense sector.
