The Kittyhawk Heaviside is a single-seat electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developed by Kittyhawk Corporation. It was first unveiled in October 2019 and is designed to be a personal air vehicle that can be used for short-range transportation.

The Heaviside has eight tilting, variable-pitch electric propellers, including two at the front and six at the rear of the main wing. The rear main wing propellers give enhanced stability and low turbulence to the aircraft even when it is flying at lower altitudes. In trials it hit a speed of 180 mph and flew more than 100 miles on a single charge. It is a very quiet aircraft with noise levels as low as 35dBA at an altitude of 1,500ft. The Heaviside aircraft has two flight phases. The initial phase is ‘hover’ during which the aircraft is launched vertically via rear tilt rotors that provide the necessary lift for the vertical take-off. In the second phase, the rotors tilt parallel to the aircraft’s forward movement and provide the forward thrust.

The Heaviside was a significant development in the field of eVTOL aircraft. It was one of the first eVTOL aircraft to be designed for personal use and to have a range sufficient for practical transportation. The Heaviside was also one of the quietest eVTOL aircraft in development, making it a more attractive option for use in urban areas.

In September 2022, it was announced that the company was winding down, though their joint venture with Boeing, Wisk Aero, would continue.

The Heaviside aircraft is named after Oliver Heaviside, a renowned physicist and mathematician.

Specifications

Resources

• Kittyhawk website
• eVTOL News – Kittyhawk Heaviside
• Wired – Kitty Hawk’s New Flying Car Promises a (Near) Silent Flight

Below is a YouTube video describing the technology behind the Kittyhawk Heaviside.