Manufacturer Airspeeder has now moved on to the next phase in their development, namely facilitating test flights for their Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) multi-copter or flying race car! These are currently being conducted under the watchful eye of the Australian Civil Aviation Authority.
Grand Prix in 2021?
Founding father of Airspeeder and Alauda Electronics, Matthew Pearson has been manufacturing these multicopters with the end in mind of racing them in aerial Grand Prix as soon as 2021.
The best of all is that the vehicles will be utterly crewless as they race around the aerial circuits in soon-to-be disclosed locations around the world!
The Specs
The Mk3 multicopter is said to weigh approximately 286 lbs with the ability to reach a height capacity of 500 meters. Moreover, it can achieve 62 mph in as little as 2.8 seconds when it comes to speed!
It even comes complete with its own pit crew and poses a serious threat to Red Bull Racing Honda’s wunderkind Max Verstappen’s current F1 DHL Fastest Pit Stop record at the Bahrain circuit. Verstappen’s crew has managed to clock a current winning time of 1.93 seconds.
What is impressive about the pit crew of the Alauda Mk3 is that they can perform a complete battery change–which equates to replacing an F1 car’s engine in less than 20 seconds.
The multicopter is currently able to fly for 10 to 15 minutes before the battery needs to be replaced and is equipped with both radar and lidar that can avoid possible collisions due to a forcefield being emitted.
Pearson has indicated that the new series of aerial grand prix will be called the EXA Series and will comprise of four teams with two remote pilots per team in its inception year.
What it Means for F1 Fans
F1 and other motor racing fans will be elated to know that this project has become a reality due to influences from F1 stalwarts such as Mclaren and Brabham. The three races planned for later this year will also see F1, eSports, and aviation experts take to the controls!
Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay
Article source: Spectrum
