- Archer Aviation has announced an agreement to acquire Boeing's subsidiaries Wisk Aero, SkyGrid, and Insitu, marking a significant shift in the aerospace landscape.
- Boeing will take a 19.75% stake in Archer, which will include options to purchase more shares over the next four years.
- Insitu develops high-altitude drones used by the U.S. Navy, while SkyGrid focuses on air traffic management systems for air taxis.
- Archer's CEO Adam Goldstein stated that this acquisition is a major step in diversifying their platform and expanding their revenue base.
- The acquisition is expected to add over $200 million in annual revenue to Archer's business.
- In April 2021, Wisk sued Archer for misappropriation of confidential information and intellectual property, leading to a two-year legal battle.
- The legal disputes concluded with a settlement that ended both the lawsuit and Archer's counter-suit, initiating a new collaboration.
- As part of the settlement, Archer designated Wisk as the exclusive provider of autonomous technology and granted Wisk an option to purchase shares.
- Wisk Aero originated as Kittyhawk, an electric aviation startup, and became a fully owned subsidiary of Boeing by 2023.
- Archer, founded in 2018, has expanded into the defense sector and raised funds in December 2024 and 2025.
- Earlier this month, Archer successfully completed a piloted round-trip flight between Salinas Municipal Airport and Monterey Regional Airport.
Archer Aviation is set to acquire Boeing's Wisk Aero, SkyGrid, and Insitu in a deal that will see Boeing take a 19.75% stake in Archer. This acquisition is expected to enhance Archer's capabilities in the urban air mobility sector, adding over $200 million in annual revenue.12346
Boeing's Brian Yutko stated that the deal allows the subsidiaries to accelerate development and market readiness, while Archer's CEO Adam Goldstein emphasized the importance of this step in diversifying and scaling their business. Archer aims to launch commercial eVTOL flights by the end of this year or early next year, positioning itself as a leader in the emerging air taxi market.5
The acquisition marks a significant turnaround in the relationship between the two companies, which had previously been embroiled in legal disputes over trade secrets. The settlement allowed Archer to collaborate with Wisk as the exclusive provider of autonomous technology, paving the way for this strategic acquisition.89
Boeing's stake will amount to 19.75% of Archer's Class A shares, with options to purchase more shares in the next four years. This partnership is expected to foster ongoing collaboration and technology sharing between the two companies, enhancing their competitive edge in the aerospace and defense sectors.
The deal is a culmination of efforts to create an end-to-end physical AI platform for aerospace, combining the pioneering technologies of Wisk, SkyGrid, and Insitu with Archer's AI foundation model, ZEE.
“The deal adds over $200 million in annual revenue to Archer from Insitu alone, which operates across 35 countries. Archer ended Q2 2026 with $1.56 billion in cash, but its net loss widened to $177.1 million as it invests in flight testing and AI development.”
CNBC
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