Larry Page’s electric air taxi startup is winding down | News Small business
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Kittyhawk, the electric air taxi startup backed by Google co-founder Larry Website page, introduced Wednesday that it programs to “wind down” operations.
“We have manufactured the decision to wind down Kittyhawk. We’re even now working on the facts of what is subsequent,” the corporation wrote in a quick assertion shared on its LinkedIn and Twitter webpages. Kittyhawk did not instantly react to a ask for for further comment.
Kittyhawk had the lofty mission of “building autonomous, reasonably priced, ubiquitous and eco-aware air taxis,” in accordance to its website. It was launched by Sebastian Thrun, a previous Google govt who led the company’s self-driving car or truck efforts.
The startup operated in secret till 2017, when it publicly unveiled its initially aircraft — an ultralight electric plane dubbed Flyer that was intended to fly in excess of water. Page, just one of the world’s richest adult men, was said to have invested $100 million in flying auto startups, together with Kittyhawk.
Flyer was ultimately retired in 2020, after extra than 25,000 prosperous check flights, according to the firm, and it reportedly laid off numerous of those people who experienced been doing work on Flyer at the time. The business introduced other electrical aircraft prototypes and introduced a partnership with Boeing in 2019.
The shuttering of Kittyhawk will not influence its joint undertaking with Boeing, which has been dubbed Wisk. In a tweet, Wisk reported that it remains “in a powerful money situation,” with each Boeing and Kittyhawk as investors.
Like Kittyhawk, Wisk is building an “all-electric, self-traveling air taxi” that it claims “rises like a helicopter and flies like a airplane,” in accordance to its internet site. This “aircraft will remove the will need for a runway and permit you to land wherever you have to have to be,” according to the corporation.
Information
—
Kittyhawk, the electric air taxi startup backed by Google co-founder Larry Website page, introduced Wednesday that it programs to “wind down” operations.
“We have manufactured the decision to wind down Kittyhawk. We’re even now working on the facts of what is subsequent,” the corporation wrote in a quick assertion shared on its LinkedIn and Twitter webpages. Kittyhawk did not instantly react to a ask for for further comment.
Kittyhawk had the lofty mission of “building autonomous, reasonably priced, ubiquitous and eco-aware air taxis,” in accordance to its website. It was launched by Sebastian Thrun, a previous Google govt who led the company’s self-driving car or truck efforts.
The startup operated in secret till 2017, when it publicly unveiled its initially aircraft — an ultralight electric plane dubbed Flyer that was intended to fly in excess of water. Page, just one of the world’s richest adult men, was said to have invested $100 million in flying auto startups, together with Kittyhawk.
Flyer was ultimately retired in 2020, after extra than 25,000 prosperous check flights, according to the firm, and it reportedly laid off numerous of those people who experienced been doing work on Flyer at the time. The business introduced other electrical aircraft prototypes and introduced a partnership with Boeing in 2019.
The shuttering of Kittyhawk will not influence its joint undertaking with Boeing, which has been dubbed Wisk. In a tweet, Wisk reported that it remains “in a powerful money situation,” with each Boeing and Kittyhawk as investors.
Like Kittyhawk, Wisk is building an “all-electric, self-traveling air taxi” that it claims “rises like a helicopter and flies like a airplane,” in accordance to its internet site. This “aircraft will remove the will need for a runway and permit you to land wherever you have to have to be,” according to the corporation.