Two ascendent aircraft manufacturers—Wisk Aero and Archer Aviation—have been locked in a bitter court battle for months, accusing each other of stealing their designs for electric air taxis. Potentially hundreds of millions of dollars are at stake as they fight to dominate an emerging industry that promises to help the environment, transform urban transportation and launch a new era in commercial aviation.
After more than seven months of legal twists and turns, FLYING took a deep dive into the lawsuit’s allegations—and the aircraft designs—by pouring through court documents and consulting with two veteran patent attorneys.