Boeing signs deal to sell Wisk, SkyGrid and Insitu to Archer Aviation

Boeing has agreed to sell its subsidiaries Wisk Aero, SkyGrid and Insitu to Archer Aviation, marking a significant consolidation in the emerging market for autonomous aviation technologies.

The companies announced they have signed definitive agreements under which Archer will acquire the three Boeing-owned businesses. The deal combines capabilities developed across autonomous flight systems, electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and artificial intelligence technologies.

According to the companies, the transaction is designed to create an end-to-end physical AI platform serving commercial aerospace, defence and air traffic management markets.

Autonomy becomes central to Archer’s growth strategy

The acquisition significantly expands Archer’s technology portfolio beyond its air taxi ambitions.

Wisk, SkyGrid and Insitu have collectively developed autonomous aviation technologies over several years. Archer said the businesses bring nearly two million combined flight hours, providing a foundation for its ZEE artificial intelligence platform.

The company expects the acquired technologies to strengthen its capabilities across autonomous aircraft operations, drone systems and future airspace management.

Commenting on the deal, Adam Goldstein, founder and chief executive officer of Archer Aviation, described the transaction as a major step in the company's strategy to diversify its business and expand its revenue base.

What Archer is acquiring

The three businesses operate in distinct segments of advanced aviation:

• Wisk Aero has designed, built and flown six generations of eVTOL aircraft and has conducted more than 1,700 flight tests.

• Over the past 16 years, Wisk has developed autonomous flight technologies, including flight-control systems, sensor suites and radar capabilities intended for certification in civil aviation and potential defence applications.

• SkyGrid develops aircraft-agnostic air traffic management technology aimed at supporting automated and increasingly autonomous airspace operations.

• The company focuses on digital infrastructure that enables aircraft integration, automation and traffic coordination across future aviation networks.

• Insitu develops and manufactures uncrewed aircraft systems used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

• The business has produced and deployed more than 3,500 unmanned aircraft systems and maintains operations across the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates.

Boeing retains access to key technology

While Boeing is divesting ownership of the three businesses, the aerospace manufacturer will continue to maintain a strategic relationship with Archer.

The companies have entered a collaboration and technology-sharing arrangement under which Boeing will retain access to Wisk’s core autonomous flight technology for current and future commercial and defence aircraft programmes.

Boeing also retains exposure to Archer through its existing shareholding, allowing it to participate in future growth while concentrating investment on its core operations.

Brian Yutko, vice president of Commercial Airplanes Product Development at Boeing, said the transaction would allow Wisk, SkyGrid and Insitu to accelerate technology development and commercial deployment while enabling Boeing to continue benefiting from investments made in autonomy technologies over the past two decades.

Advanced aviation sector moves towards integration

The transaction reflects a broader trend across aerospace as companies seek to integrate aircraft platforms, autonomous systems, artificial intelligence and airspace management technologies into unified operating ecosystems.

By bringing together eVTOL aircraft development, autonomous flight software, drone capabilities and air traffic management systems, Archer is positioning itself across multiple layers of the future aviation value chain.

Industry attention is increasingly focused on how autonomous technologies can support next-generation commercial aviation, urban air mobility and defence applications.

Deal expected to close by end-2026

The acquisition remains subject to customary closing conditions, including the expiration or termination of the waiting period required under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act.

The companies expect the transaction to close by the end of 2026.

Moelis & Company is serving as financial adviser to Archer, with Fenwick & West acting as legal counsel. J.P. Morgan Securities is advising Boeing, while Mayer Brown is serving as legal counsel.

As regulatory approvals progress, the deal will be closely watched as a test of how quickly autonomous aviation technologies can move from specialised platforms into broader commercial and defence applications.