Google's Larry Page bankrolling two flying car moonshot projects - report
Google co-founder Larry Page isn't waiting for his company's self-driving car technology to hit the market before reportedly looking toward the next big thing: personal flying cars.
Page is the owner of Zee.Aero, a Silicon Valley startup located next to Google's headquarters working on a small airplane that can take off and land vertically, according to Bloomberg. The project appears to be a personal investment for Page and is not funded by or directly affiliated with Google.
While Zee.Aero reportedly has about 150 employees working on a flying car, Page has also reportedly funded a second, competing company working toward the same goal, named Kitty Hawk. The other startup is said to be located about a half-mile away and is run by Sebastian Thrun, who used to work for Google's X division and spearheaded its self-driving car project.
The report published Thursday indicated that while a number of companies are working on mostly autonomous commuter planes, the two projects backed by Page appear to be the most fully realized visions thus far.
People who have seen Zee.Aero prototypes say the airplanes are "pushers" with propellers in the back and a bulbous cockpit with room for one person up front. The company reportedly has two prototypes: One that looks like a traditional plane, while the other has six small propellers along the main body.
Less is known about the designs that the Kitty Hawk team are working on, including among Zee.Aero employees, who are purposefully kept in the dark to encourage competition and innovation. It was said that Kitty Hawk's project resembles a giant quadcopter drone.
Bloomberg characterized Page's investments in the two companies as a "deeply personal" endeavor for the billionaire, who hopes to change transportation considerably.
Page's restless nature is well known, as he's been involved in so-called "moonshot" projects through Google and otherwise for years. In an interview back in 2014, Page contrasted himself with late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, saying he disagreed with Jobs's highly focused approach to developing new products.
"(Jobs) would always tell me, 'You're doing too much stuff.' I'd be like, 'You're not doing enough stuff,'" Page said. He added that it "seems like a crime" to earn billions of dollars and not invest it in things that could make people's lives better.
While many of Google's forward thinking projects, including its self-driving car technology, are publicly known, Apple keeps its research and development efforts tightly sealed behind closed doors. There has never been an indication Apple has worked on or is currently pursuing any ambitious "moonshot" projects within its labs.
Page is the owner of Zee.Aero, a Silicon Valley startup located next to Google's headquarters working on a small airplane that can take off and land vertically, according to Bloomberg. The project appears to be a personal investment for Page and is not funded by or directly affiliated with Google.
While Zee.Aero reportedly has about 150 employees working on a flying car, Page has also reportedly funded a second, competing company working toward the same goal, named Kitty Hawk. The other startup is said to be located about a half-mile away and is run by Sebastian Thrun, who used to work for Google's X division and spearheaded its self-driving car project.
The report published Thursday indicated that while a number of companies are working on mostly autonomous commuter planes, the two projects backed by Page appear to be the most fully realized visions thus far.
People who have seen Zee.Aero prototypes say the airplanes are "pushers" with propellers in the back and a bulbous cockpit with room for one person up front. The company reportedly has two prototypes: One that looks like a traditional plane, while the other has six small propellers along the main body.
Less is known about the designs that the Kitty Hawk team are working on, including among Zee.Aero employees, who are purposefully kept in the dark to encourage competition and innovation. It was said that Kitty Hawk's project resembles a giant quadcopter drone.
Bloomberg characterized Page's investments in the two companies as a "deeply personal" endeavor for the billionaire, who hopes to change transportation considerably.
Page's restless nature is well known, as he's been involved in so-called "moonshot" projects through Google and otherwise for years. In an interview back in 2014, Page contrasted himself with late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, saying he disagreed with Jobs's highly focused approach to developing new products.
"(Jobs) would always tell me, 'You're doing too much stuff.' I'd be like, 'You're not doing enough stuff,'" Page said. He added that it "seems like a crime" to earn billions of dollars and not invest it in things that could make people's lives better.
While many of Google's forward thinking projects, including its self-driving car technology, are publicly known, Apple keeps its research and development efforts tightly sealed behind closed doors. There has never been an indication Apple has worked on or is currently pursuing any ambitious "moonshot" projects within its labs.
Comments
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moller_M400_Skycar
Flying cars are a stupid idea, plain and simple.
And this can be seen in Google's track record with these moonshot projects over the years. Lots of ideas, the vast majority of them end up lacking the refinement needed to become products which truly make people's lives better. Then they get bored and move on to the next thing, leaving a wake of half-baked technologies to pass into history.
Page, check the history of all inventions which have become part of our everyday lives (automobiles, airplanes, computers, appliances, etc) and you'll find people who have obsessed over the details. Obviously you need the moonshot idea investors to get things rolling, but you need that Jobs-like obsession with every little detail (and a clear vision + refusal to accept failure) to make them truly things which are indispensable in our daily lives.
Yep.
Apple has an actual process for these ideas. Most of them don't get past the casual conversations at lunch because of obvious reasons.
hey Google, how's that glucose meter contact lense for diabetics coming along? Oh, that's right, diabetics do have sensitive eyes and have trouble with contacts...
And why not investing money if you have into moonstone projects. You never know what will come out of it... even a flying car is a possibility or interesting technology or engineering that can be used elsewhere.
As for that lense, Novartis eye care division signed to license it. So they must see (no pun intended) something in it.
Look up NASA's Greased Lightning drone for a look at what electric tilt rotors are doing now. I think you will agree that V/STOL will be preferred over VTOL for both drones and light aircraft when range and duration of mission are factored in.
Flying cars ARE stupid. They are not fuel efficient, they are very costly to manufacture AND certify (and they will require certification), will require a complete overhaul of FAA regulations to be allowed to fly (and people think rules regarding autonomous cars are going to get complicated) and don't actually solve any transportation problems. They are the ultimate luxury gadget for the wealthy.
Oh really?
Play that video tmay posted. Fast forward to 2:15 and hear the chief enginner of the project say: "So what we are waiting for is until the lithium battery technology can SIGNIFICANTLY improve it's energy density..." Is he talking nonsense? You know something he and I don't?
It's the same with the electric car - fantastic concept, pity about the battery. If Norway does ban all hydrocarbon fueled cars, I will bet they reverse the decision soon after. Get caught in a blizzard with in an electric vehicle and you will likely freeze to death. At temperatures below zero C, an electric cars range can be halved.
The lack of a really good energy storage technology is also the main factor that makes renewables sourced electricity production pretty much an expensive waste of time. Behind all solar and wind powered energy generating schemes is a conventional power plant propping it up and making it look as if it works.
A massive improvement in energy storage tech is about the biggest killer app one can imagine, so many great things would become practical and possible with it. Nothing would please me more than a breakthrough that makes electric cars, electric planes, solar and wind power all practical concerns without the fudges, lies and compromises.