The first test races of Alauda Aeronautics flying cars will be held until the end of 2021 (2 photos + video)

Over the past three years, AlaudaAeronautics has worked on prototyping a flying car for high-speed racing. The company has now announced the readiness of the first Airspeeder Mk3 prototype for test trials scheduled for this year.

In upcoming races will be testedjoint work of 10 Mk3 class flying vehicles. They are assembled at the Alauda Aeronautics facility in Adelaide, South Australia. Ten flying, at this stage, unmanned vehicles, in test competitions will show the capabilities of the technology and provide engineers with data on the safety, maneuverability and dynamic characteristics of the car. This information is further used to create a manned vehicle Mk4 Airspeeder.

Airspeeder Mk3 will be driven byremotely operator from the ground. The collision avoidance and safety system uses LiDAR and radars to create a “virtual force field” around the vehicle. The body of the Mk3 consists of a frame and fuselage made of carbon fiber, chosen for the ideal balance of weight, strength and rigidity, which ensures high maneuverability and low energy consumption.

The mass of the Airspeeder Mk3 does not exceed 100kg, without driver. The maximum speed will be over 120 km / h. The car will be driven by a 96 kW electric motor. The system of eight rotors arranged in an X-shaped pattern will allow to perform sharp turns comparable to those of Formula 1 cars, but with the added third dimension - the ability to move vertically.

To provide autonomous power supply duringDuring a long race, the developers suggest using quick-change batteries, which are changed during short pit-stops according to the "slide and lock" scheme.

It is planned that manned flying carsThe Airspeeder Mk4 will hold its first races in 2022. The estimated maximum speed of such cars will be up to 160 km / h, and the acceleration time to 100 km / h is less than 2 seconds. Staying in the air at an altitude of up to 60 meters - no more than 20 minutes, and the control and security system will use 8 cameras and 22 sensors, including LiDAR, radar and altimeter.

Source: airspeeder