Archer Aviation shares surged 24% in premarket trading on Monday after the electric air taxi maker announced it would acquire three Boeing subsidiaries: Wisk Aero, SkyGrid, and Insitu. The all-stock deal gives Boeing a nearly 20% stake in Archer, plus warrants, and a seat on Archer’s board. Boeing will also retain access to Wisk’s autonomous flight technology through a long-term collaboration agreement. The stock jump reverses a year-to-date loss of 26% for Archer.
Each acquired company brings distinct capabilities: Wisk Aero develops autonomous air taxis, Insitu manufactures military-grade drones, and SkyGrid provides air-traffic management software. Archer expects the integration to create an end-to-end physical AI platform spanning commercial aerospace, defense, and air traffic management. The combined flight hours of the three businesses total nearly two million, strengthening Archer’s ZEE artificial intelligence platform. CEO Adam Goldstein called the deal a “watershed moment” that accelerates Archer’s diversification and revenue growth.
For Boeing, the transaction aligns with CEO Kelly Ortberg’s strategy to simplify operations and focus on core commercial aircraft, defense, and space businesses. Boeing will receive the option to purchase up to $200 million in Archer shares at predetermined prices. The deal also marks a turnaround from the legal battle between Archer and Wisk, which ended with a settlement and Boeing’s initial investment in Archer in 2023. Archer is targeting commercial eVTOL operations late this year or early next year.
