If flying cars are a requirement for living in “the future,” what about flying race cars?
Products of an Australian company called Alauda Aeronautics, the “race cars” are remotely piloted multicopters set to compete in the debut running of the EXA Series.
Three events already appear on the calendar, though the series website didn’t offer specifics at the time of writing.
At this …
To be clear. Flying race cars have been a thing for just about as long as race cars have been a thing. It's race cars with controlled flight that's new.
Looks a bit more like an octo-copter than a car to me.
Looking forward to enjoying crash videos without feeling guilty about drivers' health/safety.
I'll wait for the paper version
Will said:Looking forward to enjoying crash videos without feeling guilty about drivers' health/safety.
pretty sure that's designed to have a pilot in it
related... I'd like to see the videos proving that a seperated propeller won't go through any part of the pilot compartment... and a deployment of the BRS system at 50ft.
sleepyhead the buffalo said:Will said:Looking forward to enjoying crash videos without feeling guilty about drivers' health/safety.
pretty sure that's designed to have a pilot in it
related... I'd like to see the videos proving that a seperated propeller won't go through any part of the pilot compartment... and a deployment of the BRS system at 50ft.
In reply to mainlandboy :
You're both right.
The release also points out that there are plans for a “forthcoming crewed racing series” called Airspeeder that will “race across the globe in 2022."
Pretty sure they are designed to have a pilot, but are currently flying remote.
So for now, this is just drone racing scaled up.
seeing the crashes there suggests this is a questionable idea.
SVreX (Forum Supporter) said:In reply to mainlandboy :
You're both right.
The release also points out that there are plans for a “forthcoming crewed racing series” called Airspeeder that will “race across the globe in 2022."
Pretty sure they are designed to have a pilot, but are currently flying remote.
I still think a BRS system should be required for anything that big flying within crashing range of any structure/animal, regardless of occupancy
Cool idea and a step in the advancement of "flying cars", but how is it a car?
Also... "Wheel to wheel" with spinning rotors on all the corners reminds me of Ben Hur, except nobody wins:
People who think that flying cars are the solution to commuter traffic have never had to personally deal with flying in bad weather, or been stuck holding for air traffic. Ask Kobe.
Even if flying cars were 100 percent reliable (what is?) I will resolutely oppose them if there isn't a significant minimum elevation requirement. Otherwise it's an invasion of privacy.
Isn't this just a drone? Am I missing somthing?
In reply to dean1484 :
for size reference
dean1484 said:Isn't this just a drone? Am I missing somthing?
It currently claims a payload capability suitable to carry a person, 80 kg. Add in a seat and some safety gear and I'm thinking it could carry a small child. "Don't tell mom...."
From the Performance section of the article:
It can lift a weight of more than 80kg, proving the viability of the powertrain for piloted races.
From 2011
I prefer air racing the old fashioned way:
In reply to Appleseed :
yeah, that's the kind of sorcery that'll get me cheering..
I've played this game before..
Very interested to see how the safety systems will work (for the maned versions). F1/Indycar have shown that a persons in a carbon fiber tub can hit solid things at VERY high speeds and survive. The motor arms offer an interesting opportunity for energy dissipation. That said the vertical component of impacts is potentially huge.
I wonder if they will go low altitude to reduce the fall height or if they will go higher altitude to give parachutes a chance to work.
Exciting that power to weight for electrics is to the point that things like this are possible.
In reply to sleepyhead the buffalo :
They are already required for commercial drone use. I designed these systems for a friend's company a couple years ago and we are in the patent process (preliminary patent granted). They span a range of 1kg to 100kg. There are larger systems available too. These have already been approved for waivers for flight above people.
BTW: Nice to see the NVIDIA logo plastered on the side of it too. Go team green.
80kg? That would make for a very small pilot. But as motors and batteries improve, the Airspeeder's specs will improve.
noddaz said:80kg? That would make for a very small pilot. But as motors and batteries improve, the Airspeeder's specs will improve.
that's ~175#s... which is an old-fashioned "FAA standard pilot weight", iirc
CAinCA said:
In reply to sleepyhead the buffalo :
They are already required for commercial drone use. I designed these systems for a friend's company a couple years ago and we are in the patent process (preliminary patent granted). They span a range of 1kg to 100kg. There are larger systems available too.
Sweet! Congrats on the development, and good luck with the application. It's the kind of thing that, if I thought it's certain someone else has already. I should make some time, eventually, to look up the design parameters the FAA/ICAO are requiring against... and if that includes deployment capability at Vmax; and if deployment of the system 'disables' the propulsion system similar to how EV's have a shunt the pop's when it senses an accident.
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