Archer Aviation has signed definitive agreements to acquire Boeing subsidiaries Wisk Aero, Insitu and SkyGrid, the companies announced Monday. The transaction would bring Wisk’s autonomous eVTOL program, Insitu’s uncrewed aircraft business and SkyGrid’s airspace-management technology under Archer. The companies expect the deal to close by the end of 2026, subject to regulatory review and other closing conditions.
Boeing Takes Stake In Archer
Boeing will receive a nearly 20% equity stake in Archer as part of the transaction, according to SEC filings. The companies are also entering into a technology-sharing agreement that will allow Boeing to continue using Wisk’s autonomous-flight technology for future commercial and defense programs.
“This is a watershed moment for Archer and the future of physical AI in aerospace and defense,” Archer founder and CEO Adam Goldstein said in the companies’ announcement.
Three Boeing Businesses Join Archer
Wisk has developed six generations of eVTOL aircraft and conducted more than 1,700 flight tests during its autonomous-aircraft program. Insitu develops uncrewed aircraft primarily for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions and has fielded more than 3,500 aircraft. Boeing and Archer said the business currently generates more than $200 million in annual revenue. SkyGrid develops software intended to manage and integrate automated aircraft operations in the national airspace system.
The acquisition turns a page in a relationship that began under much more contentious circumstances. Wisk sued Archer in 2021 over alleged trade-secret theft and patent infringement. The companies settled the litigation in August 2023 and entered an autonomous-flight collaboration that designated Wisk as Archer’s exclusive autonomy provider for future aircraft variants. Boeing also invested in Archer as part of that agreement.
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