Boeing Ditches Air Taxi Ambitions, Sells Stake to Archer Aviation

Boeing and Archer Aviation have reached a deal where Boeing will receive about 20% of the air taxi company, allowing it to focus on its core commercial and defense aircraft businesses. Archer will acquire Wisk Aero, SkyGrid, and Insitu from Boeing in a move that gives it access to the manufacturer's autonomous-flight technology.

The acquisition includes drone maker Insitu and airspace-services provider SkyGrid, which together have nearly two million combined flight hours. This is expected to bring a deep autonomy foundation to Archer's ZEE artificial intelligence platform, enabling it to deliver an end-to-end physical AI platform across commercial aerospace, defense, and air traffic management.

Boeing will retain access to the Wisk core autonomous flight technology for its current and next-generation commercial and defense aircraft through a collaboration and technology-sharing arrangement. The transaction allows Boeing to focus on its core businesses while retaining strategic upside through its stake in Archer.