Australia-based firm Airspeeder seems to be planning to launch a three-race series using eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) this year. The company recently confirmed that the vehicle has completed its first successful test flight of a flying racecar that will participate in the competition.
The Alauda Aeronautics Mk3 finished its maiden flight in Australia. The flying car features eight sets of rotors on four arms and can reach speeds up to 62 mph in 2.8 seconds and reach heights up to 500 meters. For its maiden flight, the car was remotely piloted, but it has a seat and controls for manual maneuver.
World’s first flying car race competition
Called “the world’s first racing series for electric flying cars,” the race will test the flying skills of up to 4 teams at different sky-based racetracks across the globe. For each race, teams will be given identical vehicles — in this case, the Alauda. Teams will also have a competitive advantage “only gained through pilot skill and world-class strategy,” Airspeeder notes.
The first race involves eVTOL vehicles flown remotely, but the plan is to allow pilots to fly them for subsequent racing events. Races will require navigating virtual courses, the company said.
To avoid midair collisions, the eVTOL aircraft will pack lidar and radar tech that will create “virtual forcefields” around each flying car. As for the runtime, the batteries can only last for 15 minutes, which means the vehicles will have to pit to swap batteries.
Unique battery mechanism for quick pit stops
Airspeeder notes that the cars have a unique “slide and lock” system that will allow teams to quickly remove the battery and replace them with another. The Airspeeder engineers behind making the Alauda Aeronautics Mk3 belong to different industries such as aviation, automotive, and motorsports.
“This mobility revolution, underpinned by future tech, will transform urban air mobility, global logistics, and even medical applications with a clean-air electric vehicle solution,” the company said.
As of now, there are no specific dates and locations where the first EXA season will be organized. But whenever it happens, it will be a race to behold.
