Alauda’s’Airspeeder’ electric flying racing car uses a virtual force field to bring us closer to the future

The future of car racing is here, with the world’s first electric flying racing car. The car successfully hit the skies in a secret location in South Australia over the weekend.

“We are proud to introduce a sport that redefines what humans and machines can achieve together”

Matthew Pearson, Founder, Airspeeder and Alauda Aeronautics

Big name pilots and sci-fi tech

Airspeeder plans to attract ‘elite pilots’ from aviation, motorsport and eSports backgrounds to remotely pilot the vehicles across AI enabled ‘sky tracks.’

 The team already includes technical experts, engineers and designers from big-names including F1, Mclaren, Brabham, Boeing, Mclaren, Jaguar and Rolls-Royce.

Airspeeder’s Founder said the technology “delivers on the promise of a future first shown in science fiction”.

Electric flying car Grand Prix could be on the cards as soon as 2021

The successful trial flights means the crew-less electric flying car Grand Prixs will take place as soon as this year.

The company says moving racing to this space will improve “key safety, performance and dynamics technologies”.

Up to four teams with two remote pilots per team will compete in  three individual events. Audiences will be able to watch these races online via a live stream.

The racers will “take a seat in a simulator environment that mimics the dynamics and ergonomics of the Mk3 cockpit environment.”

The races will even include stimulated pit stops, using a  ‘slide and lock’ system to remove and replace batteries on the ground.

$1.5 trillion technology

Morgan Stanley predicts the technology will be worth $1.5 trillion by 2040.

The company also says they expect the tech to go much further than racing, with emerging applications in ‘air logistics’ and ‘remote medical care’.

The technology also has the potential to “liberate cities from congestion though clean-air passenger applications like air taxis”, says Airspeeder.

“These historic first flights are just the start and we are all excited to begin a momentous new chapter in motorsport’s rich legacy.”  

Airspeeder press releasE

Alauda Airspeeder design, performance & safety

The Alauda Airspeeder Mk3 draws its design inspiration from the classic forms of racing cars from the 1950s and 60s.

The company’s head of design Felix Pierron says the car “melds F1 car dynamics with the profile of a fighter jet and function of helicopter.”

At maximum power the craft delivers 320kW, weighing in at only 130kg. The vehicle can lift a weight of more than 80kg.