The first test flights of Airspeeder’s Alauda-manufactured Mk3 quadcopters have taken place at undisclosed test locations in the deserts of South Australia, under the observation of Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). Throughout the development process, the Alauda team says it has worked with the regulator to ensure compliance with all required procedures while developing robust safety protocols. The successful execution of these flights means that the first aerial Grand Prix using the craft should take place in 2021 at three soon-to-be-revealed international locations.
The races will see pilots from aviation, motorsport and e-sports backgrounds remotely control the racing electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) craft. They will race across electronically governed, augmented reality-enabled sky-tracks. A pre-season program is set to be announced and will take the form of an internal drag-race-style competition between two distinct ‘works teams’ drawn from within Alauda. These final test events will serve as an important technical and strategic shake-down before external teams are invited to prove their competitive edge against the creators of the sport.
The unmanned EXA series will act as a proving ground for the planned Airspeeder crewed racing series, providing a vital technical testbed for teams and the perfect space to develop pilot skills.
