Archer buys Wisk Aero for $145 million

Archer Aviation has bought Wisk Aero, a rival electric air taxi company, in a deal worth $145 million. The acquisition was announced on Tuesday and gives Archer a ready-made autonomous aircraft platform just as the U.S. air taxi market prepares for its first commercial flights.

Wisk has spent more than a decade developing self-flying electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Archer, backed by United Airlines and Stellantis, has focused on piloted models. By absorbing Wisk’s technology and team, Archer gains a certification path under FAA rules that recognize autonomous systems as airworthy. The move comes as regulators finalize rules for passenger-carrying eVTOLs, expected to enter service in the next two years.

The deal includes all of Wisk’s assets, its 300-person team, and its Generation 6 Cora aircraft. That plane seats four passengers, flies up to 90 miles on battery power, and has logged thousands of test flights. Archer says it will keep Wisk’s Sunnyvale, California, engineering hub open and integrate the technology into its own four-passenger Midnight aircraft. Archer also secured Wisk’s existing FAA certifications, slashing years off its timeline to market.

What happens next is a sprint to commercial launch. Archer plans to fly the first Midnight air taxis in 2025 and has 200 pre-orders from United. By folding Wisk’s autonomous expertise into its own plans, Archer avoids a costly, multi-year certification race and gets a head start on the coming race for urban air mobility. The merger also signals a consolidation wave as cash-strapped startups seek exits or mergers to survive the tough funding climate.