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LAS VEGAS — Electric vertical take-off and landing developer Archer Aviation is acquiring Lilium’s patent portfolio for 18 million euros (around $21 million) following a competitive bidding process that also attracted rival Joby Aviation.
Archer said it will gain around 300 of Lilium’s patents through the deal, including key patents related to ducted fans, propeller systems, high-voltage systems, battery management, aircraft design, flight controls and electric engines. Founded in 2015, the German eVTOL maker spent more than $1.5 billion developing its all-electric Lilium Jet before running out of cash in October 2024.
Related: Archer and Wisk legal battle ends with surprise collaboration
In an interview at the National Business Aviation Association’s Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition this week, Archer CEO Adam Goldstein explained to The Air Current the rationale for acquiring Lilium’s intellectual property (IP) portfolio. One key motivation is to strengthen its overall position from a legal standpoint — top of mind for a company that spent more than two years embroiled in an acrimonious IP dispute with Boeing subsidiary Wisk.
