“Flying racing car” takes flight ahead of first-of-its-kind races

A full-size, pilotless “flying racing car” took flight for the first time Wednesday, ahead of flying car races set for later this year.

“It is a momentous day,” founder and chief executive of Adelaide-based Alauda Aeronautics Matt Pearson said. “To be able to showcase the Mark 3 to the world and show that flying car racing is just round the corner.”

The Alauda Airspeeder Mk3 is a multicopter craft based on a Formula 1 car. It has a greater thrust-to-weight ratio than an F15 fighter jet, according to Alauda.

They hope to fly the Mk3 in the Airspeeder EXA Series, which will feature 10-car races in the air.

2021 will see three remotely piloted global races take place. Locations of those races have not been announced yet.

Manned Airspeeders will take to the skies in 2022.