Boeing’s Flying Taxi Patent Suit Against Archer Marked for Trial

A federal judge in California rejected arguments from rival flying taxi companies that could’ve grounded their patent-infringement and trade secrets case ahead of trial.

Judge William H. Orrick mostly cast aside dueling motions for summary judgment from the Boeing Co.'s Wisk Aero LLC and Archer Aviation LLC.

Wisk sued Archer in April 2021 in the US District Court for the Northern District of California for allegedly infringing four patents and stealing trade secrets concerning Wisk electrical vertical takeoff and landing, or eVTOL, aircraft technology.

Archer counter-sued alleging several state law claims, including that Wisk interfered with its contractual relations. It ...