Alauda Airspeeder // eVTOL Aircraft Overview by TransportUP

Quick Summary

The Alauda Airspeeder is a small single seater eVTOL designed for racing. According to founder Matt Pearson, the vehicle is a cross between an F1 car and a racing drone. The Airspeeder can fly up to 124mph, and will be used in Alauda's Flying Car Grand Prix Racing series. The date for the initial race in this Series is not yet defined, and was originally planned for some time in 2020.

Alauda Aeronautics, based in Sydney, Australia

Stage of Development

Preliminary Design

Prototype Build

Flight Testing

Certification

Commercially Operating

Technical Details

Aircraft Type: VTOL, no fixed wing

Powerplant: 500kw Li-Po battery

Range: undisclosed

Top Speed: 200km/h (124mph)

Propeller Configuration: four sets of two 32-inch rotors

Passenger/Payload Capacity: 1 pilot, max weight 100 kg

Autonomy Level: Piloted

Wingspan/Dimensions: 3.42m x 0.9m x 4m

Additional Information

Max Altitude: 900m

Weight: 230kg

Our Take on Alauda

Alauda's development is moving forward forward with flight testing. The company had originally planned to commence Grand Prix racing in 2020 indicating its confidence in its overall progress. However, the global health pandemic and other factors have slowed the pace of developmental progress. Ultimately, Alauda is one of the few companies making headway into eVTOL racing, and even if it does not make its schedule, it's still likely to begin eVTOL racing in the near future due to the critical mass of investment and PR received.