Boeing Sells Wisk Flying Taxi, Drone Units to Archer

Boeing has agreed to sell its Wisk, SkyGrid, and Insitu units, which specialize in flying taxis and drones, to Archer Aviation. As part of the deal, Boeing will take an almost 20% stake in Archer and enter into a technology-sharing arrangement, allowing Boeing to retain access to Wisk’s core autonomous flight technology. The acquisition is expected to accelerate Archer’s autonomous and AI initiatives, giving it an edge over rival Joby Aviation. Archer will integrate the acquired units as it awaits FAA certification of its Midnight aircraft, which is not expected until next year at the earliest. The deal marks a shift in Boeing’s focus towards its core commercial and defense units, amid industry retrenchment from flying taxis. Boeing became the sole owner of Wisk, an air-taxi startup with Google roots, in 2023, but is now selling it to Archer as it sharpens its focus on its core businesses. The acquisition is seen as a significant development in the eVTOL aircraft market, with Archer being one of the handful of developers that remain after a raft of companies went public and burned through billions of dollars in research and development.