Las Vegas / Oberpfaffenhofen: In a decisive move reshaping the advanced air mobility landscape, Archer Aviation announced it has acquired the intellectual property portfolio of bankrupt eVTOL pioneer Lilium for €18 million (≈ US $21 million) thereby securing Lilium’s Innovation Legacy.
The portfolio includes over 300 patents spanning high-voltage systems, battery management, flight controls, ducted fans, electric propulsion, advanced aircraft design, and related subsystems.
For Archer, which already holds more than 1,000 patent assets, this acquisition bolsters its competitive edge – particularly in ducted-fan and propulsion domains that many in the industry regard as technically differentiated.
At the same time, Archer is rolling out its Midnight air taxi model at NBAA 2025, marking the purchase both symbolic and strategic in nature.
Lilium’s Rise, Struggles & Collapse
Founded in 2015 by PhD students at the Technical University of Munich, Lilium captured early attention with the promise of a vectored-thrust, ducted-fan “Lilium Jet” that could serve regional routes rather than just intra-city hops.
Over its lifetime, the company raised more than US$1.5 billion, pouring money into R&D, prototypes, flight testing, and regulatory work.
Yet, despite the bold vision, Lilium confronted a cascade of challenges:
- Technical ambition vs. practical constraints: Its ducted-fan architecture, while promising on paper for efficiency and noise suppression, proved complex in practice – especially when trying to scale to certification and manufacturability.
- Cash burn and investor fatigue: In later years, Lilium’s losses mounted. It repeatedly failed to secure binding loan guarantees or fresh capital at critical junctures.
- Regulatory and certification hurdles: The eVTOL domain remains heavily regulated, and Lilium’s path to EASA/FAA type approval encountered resistance and skepticism.
- Rescue attempts failed: In late 2024, Lilium entered insolvency. A proposed reboot under “Lilium Aerospace” failed when promised funds never materialized.
Ultimately, Lilium’s collapse exposed the harsh reality in the air-mobility sector: great technology is not enough without sustainable business models, strong investor backing, and realistic execution.
Who Else Was in the Race?
Sources say Archer beat out Joby Aviation and Advanced Air Mobility Group (AAMG) for Lilium’s patent estate.
It appears Archer’s advantage lay in a clean, credible bid focused on IP assets, while rivals showed interest in reviving the Lilium Jet program itself.
Strategic & Industry Implications
- Consolidation intensifies: With many eVTOL developers burning through cash and facing long regulatory paths, the sector is increasingly favoring large firms acquiring distressed assets.
- IP as currency: Possessing the right patents – especially in propulsion, battery management, and noise mitigation – is becoming a key differentiator in the race to commercial operations.
- Better execution trumps hype: Lilium’s downfall underscores that ambition must be grounded in capital discipline, supply chain maturity, and regulatory strategy.
- National strategy plays a role: For Archer (a U.S. company), this deal not only absorbs competitive risk but also helps concentrate advanced eVTOL know-how under U.S. technological leadership.
The post Archer Snags Lilium’s 300 Patent Arsenal for €18M – A Bold Move in eVTOL Consolidation appeared first on N4M (News4masses).
from
https://news4masses.com/archer-acquires-liliums-300-patents-evtol-consolidation/
No comments:
Post a Comment