Archer Aviation Acquires Boeing's Wisk Aero Subsidiary

Archer Aviation Inc. has signed agreements to acquire three Boeing subsidiaries: Wisk Aero, SkyGrid, and Insitu. The deal combines complementary capabilities in autonomy, electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). This is expected to create an end-to-end physical AI platform for aerospace and defense.

The companies involved have a combined 2 million flight hours under their belt, with Wisk's 6th generation eVTOL aircraft being developed in 2022. Archer's ZEE artificial intelligence platform will benefit from this deep autonomy foundation. The acquisition positions Archer to deliver an end-to-end physical AI platform across commercial aerospace, defense, and air traffic management.

Archer's Founder and CEO, Adam Goldstein, called the deal a 'watershed moment' for the company and the future of physical AI in aerospace and defense. He emphasized that this is the next big step forward in becoming a diversified platform, rapidly growing Archer's revenue base, and bringing scale to its business.

Boeing will retain access to Wisk's core autonomous flight technology through a collaboration and technology-sharing arrangement. This allows Boeing to focus on its core businesses while also retaining strategic upside through a stake in Archer.