Battery-powered flying race cars will soon compete in events across the globe as Airspeeder concluded testing of its Alauda Mk3 racing aircraft.
Airspeeder is an electric flying vehicle motorsport series conceived by Australian entrepreneur Matthew Pearson and powered by Alauda Aeronautics, a high-performance eVTOL manufacturer. In a recent press release, Airspeeder informed the public about completing the first test flight of the Alauda Mk3 electric flying race car. The historic flight was conducted in southern Australia under the scanner of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
The Alauda Mk3 is categorized as an eVTOL, meaning that it’s an aircraft that takes off and lands vertically. Generally, these aircraft are best suited for air taxis and cargo shipment, but Airspeeder took things to a whole new level, announcing a first-of-its-kind flying car race series named EXA.
The Alauda Mk3 weighs around 286 lb and can sprint from 0-62 mph in just 2.8 seconds with a maximum speed of 124 mph. Unfortunately, Airspeeder did not reveal any battery specification yet, other than having 10-15 minutes flying time. However, the battery is fitted so that it can be easily replaced in just 20 seconds during pit stops. Consequently, we can expect three pit stops in a 45-minute showdown.
It’s worth mentioning that, at this point, the Mk3s are basically drones. Highly skilled pilots control the full-scale flying racing vehicles from inside a simulator closely resembling the future cockpit. Robot aviators will take their places in the cabin and receive remote digital inputs and simulate the movements of the human pilot on the ground. Airspeeder will use the data collected to prepare the teams for a future of crewed racing, teaching them how human movement affects dynamics and performance.
The Alauda Mk3 is configured with a collision-avoidance system that combines LiDAR, radar and machine vision. Pearson explained that the vehicles communicate with one another and use the same neural network to prevent the risk of collisions. As a result, they are aware of each other’s actions which not only helps the racers to evade mid-air collision but also provides equal opportunity for all.
“The important thing about our program is to keep the vehicles in constant development cycles. So instead of trying to build one vehicle and then certify it over 10 years, we’re trying to build new aircraft every year. It’s how aviation really functions normally. And certainly, if you want to get into passenger applications, that’s not how you do it,” said Pearson.
Airspeeder’s inaugural EXA series will feature four teams with two remote pilots each. They will clash in a three-race series at undisclosed locations later this year.
To be continued.
