Airspeeder eVTOL racing series makes historic first flight
Getting any new racing series off the ground is a tricky business. There are regulations to develop, investors to court, facilities to contract, sponsors to line up and star drivers to sign. That's all well and good, but what if you're trying to get an entirely new series literally off the ground -- as in, starting a brand-new airborne racing championship? And what if you're doing it with brand-new, as-yet unproven aircraft? That's the exciting and challenging path ahead for the folks at Airspeeder , the organizer behind EXA, a nascent electric flying racer series. On Thursday, the team announced they've reached a key milestone: actual flight.
The first flights of the Alauda Aeronautics Mk3, a newly developed electric vertical takeoff multicopter, took place in the South Australian desert under the observation of the country's Civil Aviation Safety Authority. With a design said to be inspired by formula race cars of the 1950s and '60s, the Alauda Mk3 test craft was remotely controlled.
The plan calls for the subsequent launch of an additional air racing series featuring piloted Alauda Mk4 vehicles, as Airspeeder's website claims the organization will be "the world's first racing series for manned flying electric cars." However, Airspeeder says this initial EXA Series will consist of "up to four teams with two remote pilots per team," with three events planned around the world later in 2021 -- a seemingly hypercompressed time frame when the first test flights are being completed midway through the year.
