Archer Aviation has announced that it has signed definitive agreement with The Boeing Company to acquire its key subsidiaries - Wisk Aero, SkyGrid and Insitu.
The deal will combine complementary capabilities developed over decades in autonomy, electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) – creating a groundbreaking end-to-end physical AI platform for aerospace and defense.
Wisk is the only company that has designed, built and flown six generations of eVTOL aircraft, amassing 1,700+ flight tests. Over the past 16 years, Wisk’s world-class team has developed autonomy capabilities powered by a next-gen flight-control computer, sensor suite, and radar system designed for certification in both civil and potential defense markets.
Insitu is a pioneer in designing, developing and manufacturing uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) used in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. Its product portfolio spans high-performance, cost-effective, resilient, VTOL-capable UAS and AI-enabled software solutions.
Its technologies have helped the armed forces of 35 nations make quicker, more informed decisions to bring warfighters home safely. With offices in the US, Australia, the UK, and the UAE, Insitu has manufactured and fielded more than 3,500 UAS and provides operations and support networks in every hemisphere of the globe.
Wisk, SkyGrid and Insitu have pioneered and incubated core autonomous flight technologies for the future that, in combination with Archer’s air taxi, UAS and AI technologies, will bring new and innovative solutions to the market. These companies, with nearly two million combined flight hours, are expected to bring a deep autonomy foundation to Archer’s ZEE artificial intelligence platform.
This positions Archer to deliver an end-to-end physical AI platform across commercial aerospace, defense and air traffic management that can lead the next generation of aviation.
On the deal, Archer’s Founder and CEO Adam Goldstein said: "This is a watershed moment for Archer and the future of physical AI in aerospace and defense. This is the next big step forward in becoming a diversified platform, rapidly growing our revenue base and bringing scale to our business."
Brian Yutko, Boeing Vice President, Commercial Airplanes Product Development, said this transaction is a win-win for both companies.
"It allows Wisk, SkyGrid and Insitu to accelerate capability development and time to market while ensuring Boeing capitalizes on its investments in these technologies over the past two decades through continued development in our core businesses."
"Having worked with the incredible teams in these companies firsthand, it’s clear this transaction will create an industry leader in the advanced aviation market. We look forward to collaborating with Archer to drive continued innovation in aerospace, defense and autonomy," he added.-TradeArabia News Service