KITTYHAWK - AIR TAXI
2010-2022
Kittyhawk was born from Google founder Larry Page's dream of freeing the world from traffic congestion using electric vertical takeoff air taxis. For ten years, he invested millions of dollars in prototypes such as the Flyer, a one-passenger personal vehicle, and the ambitious Heaviside. But the reality was a disaster: the Flyer suffered constant breakdowns, battery fires, and questionable stability, forcing the company to refund deposits to buyers and cancel experiential flights.
Despite a key alliance with Boeing, Kittyhawk sank into internal conflicts between visions of unprofitable innovation and the need for a solid business model, which prevented it from developing a product ready for certification.
Its closure in September 2022 made it clear that neither the unlimited money of a billionaire nor the talent of a technologist is enough without solid management and a clear strategy: this type of air mobility is complex, extremely expensive, and still premature for the masses.
Additional info:
Business Insider - Google cofounder Larry Page wanted Kittyhawk to be 'the Ford Motor Company of flying cars.'
Washington Post - If a Google billionaire can't make flying cars happen, can anyone?
TechCrunch - Kittyhawk, the electric aircraft moonshot backed by Larry Page, is shutting down