Archer makes wild deal with Boeing swapping eVTOL startups for equity

This news is about electric air taxis and defense drones, not home energy upgrades, so it has no direct bearing on your house or any rebate program. Archer Aviation, the company developing electric air taxi aircraft (eVTOL, short for electric vertical takeoff and landing), is buying three Boeing units: Wisk Aero, an autonomous air-taxi developer; Insitu, a profitable military drone maker with more than $200 million in yearly revenue; and SkyGrid, an air-traffic software firm. In exchange, Boeing is taking a stake in Archer. No price or ownership percentage was disclosed, and the deal is expected to close by the end of 2026 pending regulatory review.

The purchase gives Archer, which has not yet had revenue from its air taxi business, a profitable defense operation to lean on while it keeps working toward certifying its Midnight aircraft, which is set to serve as the official air taxi for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Investors responded well, sending Archer's stock up more than 20 percent.

None of this changes anything about home electrification, solar, or efficiency rebates. It is simply a corporate deal in the electric aviation and defense-drone business.