Boeing Sells Flying-Taxi and Drone Subsidiaries to Archer Aviation in Strategic Refocusing Deal

Aug 10, 2026

Archer Aviation agreed to acquire Boeing's Wisk Aero, SkyGrid, and Insitu subsidiaries on August 10, 2026. In exchange, Boeing will receive a nearly 20% stake in Archer, invest up to $55 million, and secure a board seat. The deal allows Boeing, under CEO Kelly Ortberg, to refocus on its core commercial and defense operations while retaining access to Wisk's autonomous flight technology. Archer gains a profitable defense business generating over $200 million in annual revenue.

Archer acquisition of Boeing subsidiaries

▪The acquisition of Boeing's Wisk Aero, SkyGrid, and Insitu subsidiaries by Archer Aviation is expected to close by the end of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals including antitrust waiting periods.
▪Archer Aviation announced on August 10, 2026, that it signed definitive agreements to acquire Boeing's Wisk Aero, SkyGrid, and Insitu subsidiaries.
▪Boeing's divestiture of Wisk Aero, SkyGrid, and Insitu under CEO Kelly Ortberg is part of a strategic effort to refocus on its core commercial airplanes, defense, and space operations.

Boeing equity stake in Archer

▪As part of the transaction, Boeing has agreed to invest up to $55 million in an upcoming Archer Aviation funding round and will have the right to nominate a director to Archer's board.
▪According to a regulatory filing, Boeing's equity stake in Archer Aviation will initially amount to 19.75% of Class A shares, with options to purchase more shares over the next four years.
▪In exchange for Wisk Aero, SkyGrid, and Insitu, Boeing will receive newly issued Class A shares and warrants, giving it a stake of nearly 20% in Archer Aviation.

Autonomous flight technology integration

▪Under a collaboration and technology-sharing agreement, Boeing will retain cross-licensing rights to access Wisk Aero's core autonomous flight technology for its commercial and defense aircraft.
▪Wisk Aero has designed, built, and flown six generations of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, completing more than 1,700 flight tests over 16 years.
▪Archer Aviation plans to integrate the software architectures and flight histories of Wisk Aero, SkyGrid, and Insitu into its proprietary artificial intelligence foundation platform, ZEE.

Insitu defense business revenue

▪Insitu designs, develops, and manufactures uncrewed aircraft systems used for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, having deployed more than 3,500 systems across 35 countries.
▪The acquisition of Insitu adds a profitable defense business to Archer Aviation's portfolio that generates over $200 million in annual revenue.

Archer-Wisk rivalry resolution

▪The legal dispute between Archer Aviation and Wisk Aero was settled in 2023 when Boeing invested in Archer, litigation was dismissed, and Wisk became an exclusive autonomous flight technology supplier to Archer.
▪The acquisition of Wisk Aero by Archer Aviation marks the resolution of a former rivalry that included a 2021 lawsuit where Wisk accused Archer of misappropriating trade secrets.