Key facts
- Archer Aviation acquired Wisk Aero, a former rival, in a deal that includes a 16.5% stake in Archer for Boeing.
- Joby Aviation acquired Resonant Sciences for $500 million to establish a defense business unit.
- Uber sold its stake in autonomous delivery robot company Serve Robotics, though they remain business partners.
- Aurora Innovation and Kodiak AI received permits to test self-driving trucks in California.
- Waymo received approval for expanded commercial ride-hailing operations in California.
The electric air taxi sector saw significant developments this week, including consolidation and strategic acquisitions aimed at securing near-term revenue streams amidst lengthy regulatory processes. Archer Aviation announced it has acquired Wisk Aero, a former rival, in a complex deal where Boeing sold Wisk and two other subsidiaries to Archer in exchange for a 16.5% ownership stake in Archer. This settlement also resolved a two-year lawsuit filed by Wisk against Archer for alleged theft of confidential information and intellectual property. Wisk Aero itself has a convoluted history, originating from Kitty Hawk, an electric aviation startup backed by Google co-founder Larry Page, which shut down in September 2022, but its Cora program continued as Wisk Aero through a joint venture with Boeing.
In a more straightforward transaction, Joby Aviation acquired Resonant Sciences for $500 million. Resonant Sciences, which specializes in radio frequency and sensor systems, will form a new defense business unit for Joby, named Joby Defense. This move signals Joby's expansion into the defense sector while continuing its primary mission of certifying and manufacturing electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft for urban air mobility.
In other mobility news, Uber sold its entire stake in Serve Robotics, an autonomous delivery robot company that spun out of Uber. Serve Robotics was reportedly surprised by the sell-off, though Uber and Serve remain business partners with an existing contract for Serve's robots on the Uber Eats app until 2027. Uber is also investing in Galgo, a Chilean fintech company focused on motorcycle credit. Electric mobility startup Yulu raised $93 million in a Series C funding round.
Further developments in autonomous technology include Aurora Innovation and Kodiak AI receiving permits to test self-driving trucks on public roads in California, with Kodiak AI already commencing testing. Avride reported surpassing 100,000 autonomous rides on the Uber app in Dallas. Delta Air Lines is investigating a cybersecurity incident involving a fake Wi-Fi network on a flight. Flock introduced new policies for its license plate camera reader systems. Ford is progressing with a $2 billion overhaul of its Louisville Assembly Plant for EV production. An art project created a device to trigger brakes on Citi rental bikes to highlight housing affordability issues. The company announced the passing of longtime Toyota executive Hiroshi Okuda. Pony.ai and Uber plan to deploy 2,000 robotaxis in Europe. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy promoted efforts to recruit video gamers as air traffic controllers. Uber Freight is investigating a cyberattack and data breach. Waymo received approval for expanded commercial ride-hailing operations in California, and Zoox released its safety case framework for autonomous vehicles. Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe is scheduled to speak at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026.