The eVTOL wars just took a nasty turn. Joby Aviation filed a bombshell lawsuit Wednesday accusing rival Archer Aviation of corporate espionage, claiming a former employee stole confidential files to help Archer undercut a lucrative partnership deal. The case highlights fierce competition as air taxi companies race for FAA certification in the rapidly heating sector.
Joby Aviation just fired the first major shot in what could become the messiest corporate espionage battle the eVTOL industry has seen. The air taxi pioneer filed a scathing lawsuit Wednesday in California Superior Court, accusing competitor Archer Aviation of orchestrating what it calls "corporate espionage, planned and premeditated."
At the center of the drama is George Kivork, Joby's former U.S. state and local policy lead who jumped to Archer in July after allegedly downloading dozens of confidential files. According to court documents, Kivork sent sensitive content to his personal email just two days before resigning - timing that Joby claims was no coincidence since Archer had already recruited him.
The real kicker came in August when one of Joby's partners - a real estate developer who had worked closely with Kivork - suddenly got approached by Archer with what sources described as a "more lucrative deal." Joby alleges that Archer's suspiciously detailed understanding of the original agreement's "highly confidential" terms gave them unfair leverage in negotiations. The developer even attempted to terminate their Joby agreement, citing breach of confidentiality concerns.
When Joby confronted Kivork about returning the stolen files, he refused. Archer has denied any wrongdoing but won't disclose how they learned about the partnership terms or share results from their internal investigation, according to the complaint.
This legal bombshell drops during the most crucial period in eVTOL history. Companies across the sector are sprinting toward Federal Aviation Administration certification to launch commercial air taxi operations. The stakes couldn't be higher - early movers could capture massive market share in what analysts project will be a multi-billion dollar industry.
The timing benefits from President Donald Trump's newly minted eVTOL pilot program, which has energized investor interest across the sector. Both companies have seen their stock prices rocket this year, with Joby more than doubling and Archer climbing 68%. That performance reflects growing confidence that air taxis will finally transition from science fiction to commercial reality.