In its formal response to Wisk Aero’s allegations of intellectual property theft, Archer Aviation’s legal team this week told the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California that there is no case to answer. Archer's 62-page document, filed on June 1, argues that the plaintiff has failed to detail and provide clear evidence that it stole trade secrets for the design of its four-passenger eVTOL aircraft, “despite page after page of reckless innuendo and rank speculation.”
Essentially, Archer says Wisk is jealous of its claimed “runaway success” and the lawsuit is no more than a wrecking tactic to derail its rival. “This case has nothing to do with the design of Archer’s aircraft and everything to do with the success of Archer’s business—and the failure of Wisk,” said the filing, which is rich in robust rhetoric that doesn’t seem to leave the door open for an out-of-court settlement before the trial is due to begin on July 7. Both Archer and Wisk have said that they want the case to be tried by a jury.
