Urban Aeronautics Sues Archer, Joby, and Wisk Over eVTOL Fly-by-Wire Patent
Israeli eVTOL developer Urban Aeronautics filed three separate patent infringement lawsuits on June 19, 2026, in the US District Court for the Northern District of California against Archer Aviation, Joby Aviation, and Boeing-backed Wisk Aero. The suits allege the three companies infringed its fly-by-wire flight control system patent, which uses four independent control networks to enable safe degraded-mode operation if any single network fails.
Highlights
- Urban Aeronautics filed three patent infringement lawsuits on June 19, 2026, simultaneously targeting Archer Aviation, Joby Aviation, and Wisk Aero in the US District Court for the Northern District of California.
- The disputed patent covers a fly-by-wire flight control system with four independent control networks, enabling eVTOL aircraft to operate safely in degraded mode if one network fails.
- The three case numbers are 5:2026cv06140 (vs. Archer), 5:2026cv06139 (vs. Joby), and 5:2026cv06141 (vs. Wisk Aero).
- Urban Aeronautics is an Israeli aerospace company and developer of the CityHawk eVTOL air taxi platform.
- As of publication, none of the three defendant companies — Archer Aviation, Joby Aviation, or Boeing-backed Wisk Aero — has issued a public response to the lawsuits.
Urban Aeronautics Sues Three Major eVTOL Companies Over Fly-by-Wire Patent
Israeli eVTOL developer Urban Aeronautics — the company behind the CityHawk air taxi — filed three simultaneous patent infringement lawsuits on June 19, 2026, in the US District Court for the Northern District of California. The defendants are Archer Aviation, Joby Aviation, and Boeing subsidiary Wisk Aero.
Core Allegation: Quadruple-Redundant Fly-by-Wire Flight Control System
All three suits allege that the defendants have infringed Urban Aeronautics' patented fly-by-wire (FBW) flight control system. The patent centers on a architecture featuring four mutually independent control networks. Should any single network fail, the eVTOL aircraft is designed to continue flying safely in a degraded mode, significantly enhancing flight safety redundancy.
Case Details
According to public records on Justia Dockets, the three cases have been assigned the following docket numbers:
- vs. Archer Aviation: Case No. 5:2026cv06140
- vs. Joby Aviation: Case No. 5:2026cv06139
- vs. Wisk Aero: Case No. 5:2026cv06141
Industry Context
Urban Aeronautics is a well-established Israeli aerospace company with a long focus on vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft development. Its CityHawk is the company's primary eVTOL platform. By targeting Archer, Joby, and Wisk — three of the most prominent players in the US eVTOL sector — simultaneously, Urban Aeronautics is signaling an aggressive stance in defending its core flight control intellectual property.
All three defendants are currently at a critical pre-commercialization stage. The outcome of these lawsuits could affect their technology development roadmaps and timelines to market entry. As of the time of reporting, none of the three companies has issued a public response to the litigation.
Image source: US District Court for the Northern District of California
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