Kittyhawk began as Zee.Aero in 2010 when Page hired Sebastian Thrun, who had previously worked at Google on self-driving cars and other experimental projects, to create electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. In 2017, the company released a video of a flying car demonstration, and Thrun stated that he envisions a time when people will be able to hail flying cars using an app similar to Lyft or Uber.
In 2018, Kittyhawk unveiled the Flyer, a one-person flying car that could travel up to 20 miles. Thrun told CNBC earlier that year that the models could be in the air within five years. The following year, the company announced a strategic partnership with airplane manufacturer Boeing.
According to reports, by 2020, Kittyhawk announced plans to discontinue its Flyer program and shift its focus to its electric aircraft called Heaviside.
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According to a spokesperson for CNBC, today’s announcement will have no impact on the partnership with Boeing.
“Boeing’s commitment to Wisk is unaffected by Kitty Hawk’s decision to cease operations.” Wisk Aero is proud to be a founding member, and we are excited to see the work they are doing to drive innovation and sustainability through the future of electric air travel. We do not anticipate that Kitty Hawk’s announcement will have any effect on Wisk’s operations or other activities.”
