Archer Buys Boeing's Wisk, Insitu, SkyGrid for Equity
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- Archer Aviation is acquiring three Boeing subsidiaries — autonomous eVTOL developer Wisk Aero, military drone maker Insitu, and airspace-software firm SkyGrid — with Boeing simultaneously taking an undisclosed equity stake in Archer.
- Insitu generates over $200 million in annual revenue, is profitable, and has built more than 3,500 uncrewed aircraft systems fielded by armed forces across 35 nations, per the source.
- Archer (ACHR) stock jumped more than 20% on Monday following the announcement.
- Wisk Aero has designed, built, and flown six generations of eVTOL aircraft with more than 1,700 flight tests, according to Archer.
- Financial terms, purchase price, and Boeing's equity percentage were not disclosed; the deal is expected to close by the end of 2026, pending antitrust review.
- Wisk sued Archer in 2021 alleging trade-secret theft; the parties settled on August 10, 2023 with Boeing investing in Archer — exactly three years later, Archer now owns Wisk outright.
- Archer began piloted operations of its flagship Midnight eVTOL last year, is the exclusive air taxi provider for the 2028 LA Olympics, and accelerated its defense pivot in late 2024 through a partnership with Anduril that produced the autonomous Thunder VTOL last month.
Why it matters: For a pre-revenue eVTOL company burning cash chasing FAA certification, buying Insitu's $200M profitable defense business — 3,500+ aircraft already in service across 35 nations — instantly changes Archer's financial profile from speculative air-taxi bet to diversified aerospace-and-defense platform. Investors bid up shares more than 20% on Monday, betting the cash-generating unit steadies the balance sheet while commercial eVTOL timelines remain years away.
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