Archer Aviation Inc. (NYSE:ACHR) surged 8.1% on Wednesday after the eVTOL aircraft developer revealed it had acquired Lilium GmbH’s portfolio of roughly 300 patent assets in a €18 million deal.
The acquisition marks a major boost to Archer’s intellectual property position, increasing its global patent assets to more than 1,000. The portfolio includes critical innovations across multiple areas of eVTOL technology such as ducted fan systems, high-voltage and battery management systems, flight control architectures, electric propulsion, and overall aircraft design.
Founded in 2015, Lilium invested over $1.5 billion in developing next-generation electric aircraft technology before Archer won a competitive bidding process for the patents. In the announcement, Archer noted that the German company’s platform was “regarded by many as technologically ahead of its time.”
“Lilium’s pioneering work advanced the frontier of eVTOL design and technology, and we’re excited to bring their cutting-edge technologies into the fold at Archer as we advance our product roadmap,” said Adam Goldstein, Founder and CEO of Archer.
The move comes at a time of increased consolidation within the advanced air mobility industry, following other notable transactions such as the acquisition of Volocopter by a Chinese buyer. Archer said this acquisition further solidifies its leadership in the U.S. eVTOL sector and strengthens its technological advantage in next-generation electric aviation.
Archer also underscored the strategic value of Lilium’s ducted fan portfolio, which it believes may be among the strongest in the world. The company sees significant future opportunities in both the light-sport and regional air mobility segments, particularly in light of the Federal Aviation Administration’s July 2025 announcement of updated special airworthiness certification rules.
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