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Investing.com -- Archer Aviation Inc (NYSE:ACHR) stock jumped 8.1% on Wednesday after the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer announced it has acquired Lilium GmbH’s portfolio of approximately 300 patent assets for €18 million.
The acquisition significantly expands Archer’s intellectual property holdings, bringing its total to over 1,000 patent assets worldwide. The newly acquired patents cover key innovations in eVTOL technology, including ducted fans, propeller systems, high-voltage systems, battery management, aircraft design, flight controls, and electric engines.
Lilium, founded in 2015, invested more than $1.5 billion in developing advanced eVTOL technologies before Archer won the competitive bidding process for its patent portfolio. The German company’s platform was "regarded by many as technologically ahead of its time," according to Archer’s announcement.
"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 transaction comes amid industry consolidation in the advanced air mobility sector, including a recent acquisition of Volocopter by a Chinese buyer. Archer emphasized that this move strengthens its leadership position in next-generation electric aviation and reinforces its commitment to ensuring U.S. leadership in critical eVTOL technology.
Archer believes Lilium’s ducted fan technology, which it describes as potentially the leading patent portfolio on ducted fan technology in the world, could unlock future development opportunities in both the light-sport and regional air mobility sectors, particularly following the FAA’s July 2025 announcement of modernized special airworthiness certification rules.
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