Airspeeder Makes History: First-Ever Manned eVTOL Receives Racing Certification

Sep 01 2025

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Airspeeder, the revolutionary flying car racing series, has secured the world’s first experimental flight certification for a racing eVTOL aircraft, marking a global precedent in regulated aerial motorsport. CASA’s approval of the Alauda Aeronautics Airspeeder Mk4 takes the racecraft from concept and testing to a fully constructed and flight-ready vehicle. Engineered with expertise drawn from Ferrari, McLaren, Airbus and Boeing, the Mk4 is the first of its kind in Australia and the world. More than certification alone, this milestone demonstrates that flying car racing is no longer science-fiction but a tangible reality, fusing aerospace innovation with the excitement of sport to define the future of advanced mobility.

This marks another bold leap forward for Australian aerospace. Following landmark approvals such as Gilmour’s orbital launch, CASA is cementing Australia’s position as the proving ground for frontier technologies, stretching from rockets to flying cars.

Certification validates years of engineering, testing, and racing, and marks the creation of a new category: Physical AI Racing. Airspeeder is breaking new ground in high-performance flying vehicles under experimental aviation guidelines, elevating safety, performance, and AI-integrated mobility to new heights with their operations now in full-swing.

The road to obtaining these major credentials has been thorough, highlighted by key milestones and successes. To date, the Airspeeder team has constructed more than ten aircraft from the ground up, and has trained seven pilots through their Airspeeder training program.

Currently working on the fourth generation vehicle, the team has successfully completed over 400 test flights with the Mk3, including tri-vehicle races on aerial circuits where multiple speeders competed for victory using Augmented Reality racetracks.

Combining advanced technologies with a racing format that motorsport fans will recognise, Airspeeder finds itself in a realm that seems perfectly suited for the next major innovation. The AI Forcefield feature – a distinctive shared-control system that guarantees real-time safety among high-speed vehicles – creates an exhilarating mid-air racing experience while also serving as the ultimate AI testbed for the unique data sets produced by high-octane sports. It processes data from fast 3D flights, close racing, multi-sensor inputs, quick decision-making, human interaction, and extreme conditions.

 

This is the Formula 1 of robotics, where safety, autonomy, and edge AI meet real-world speed. We’ve created a sport that solves real engineering challenges and accelerates the future of mobility through racing.
Matthew Pearson Founder & CEO, Airspeeder

Pearson has emerged as one of Australia’s leading tech visionaries, co-founding and taking Fleet Space – alongside co-founder Flavia Tata Nardini – from a bold idea to global leader in space tech and AI-powered mineral exploration. Closing their A$150 million Series D funding round at an A$800 million valuation, he has created future industries out of radical frontier technology applications in space exploration, aerospace, and climate technology.

Airspeeder integrates edge AI, sim-to-real robotics, and low-latency control systems to create competitive 3D racing environments where safety and precision are paramount. Airspeeder’s evolution into a platform where motorsport, aerospace, and AI converge has also attracted foundational technology support from Dell Technologies, Intel, AWS, Telstra, and global luxury partner IWC Schaffhausen.

Dell Technologies provides the innovative blend of components that optimise the technology systems of the Airspeeder. Dell Pro Max high-performance AI PCs with Intel® Core™ processors and NVIDIA RTX GPUs are used for rapid iterations in the design of the Airspeeder. On race day, Dell PowerEdge XR servers thrive in extreme conditions, withstanding the heat, dust and shock faced by the vehicles. This ability sets the stage for the future of racing to take place in never before seen settings: arid deserts, snowy terrains, and high-altitude tracks over the ocean. The machines capture terabytes of real-time data at the edge using AI – from vehicle performance and pilot behaviour to audience broadcast feeds. 

Each Airspeeder racecraft is essentially a flying AI PC - capturing, processing, and acting on massive streams of data in real time. Dell Technologies delivers the compute and edge infrastructure behind every race. This isn’t just the future of sport; it’s a proving ground for the next era of intelligent, autonomous mobility.
John Roese Global chief technology officer and chief AI officer, Dell Technologies

As the Official Intelligence Partner, Intel is playing a key role in developing vehicle intelligence and race infrastructure for the series, powered by Intel Core and Intel Xeon Scalable processors, offering full system support and insights to elevate the racing experience for pilots, teams, and spectators. Extensive 5G connectivity guarantees critical data processing without interruption throughout the race, allowing for top-tier performance and control. Intel will also assist with defining the virtual racetrack – a crucial element for one of the most innovative aspects of the sport, where real-life racers experience the limitless possibilities of augmented reality.

Intel has been working with Airspeeder for three years as its Technology Intelligence Partner. We are excited to be powering the next transformation in transportation, as demonstrated by Intel silicon powering the first manned flying racing speeder. Our longstanding relationship has helped us understand how AI, low latency networks and edge computing can combine to help drive this transportation revolution.
Hans Chuang Vice President-Sales & Marketing and General Manager, Intel Asia Pacific and Japan

Airspeeder’s current racecraft, the Alauda Airspeeder Mk3, already flies in competitive settings and is piloted by former Formula 1 and Formula E driver Bruno Senna. Leading the charge at Airspeeder is a formidable and well-versed team of industry experts, including Eddie Baker, former Chief Technical Officer of Formula 1, now serving as Chief Product Officer; Judith Griggs, former CEO of the Australian Grand Prix, who provides strategic guidance on sports rights and commercialisation; and Gary Gysin, former CEO of Boeing’s autonomous eVTOL venture Wisk, now a member of Airspeeder’s board of directors. Together, they bring unmatched expertise in engineering, motorsport operations, aerospace innovation, and commercial strategy.

Racing is where innovation happens at the edge. We’re building a sport that brings together the best engineers, brands, and minds to shape the future of mobility. That’s the magic of Airspeeder.
Jack Withinshaw Co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer at Airspeeder

Celeros, Airspeeder’s official eSports platform, has also gained major traction.They’ve just announced a partnership with the Alpine F1 Team, which boasts celebrity support from Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds and former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson, aiming to deliver an immersive racing experience to fans worldwide.

Officially introduced to the public in 2019 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Airspeeder has grown from a bold concept into a fully operational race series and deep-tech platform. With next-gen vehicles on the horizon and global momentum building, 2025 marks the start of a  breakthrough era for the future of flying car racing and aerial mobility.

What is Airspeeder?
Airspeeder is the world’s first racing series for electric flying cars (eVTOLs), merging motorsport, aerospace, and artificial intelligence. It is the flagship racing entity powered by Alauda Aeronautics, which designs and manufactures the Airspeeders – electric multirotor aircraft engineered for performance racing and advanced aerial mobility.

What makes it revolutionary?
In addition to its thrilling, sensory-rich experience, Airspeeder stands as the pioneering sport of its kind, serving as a high-speed testing ground for the future of mobility, energy, and technology sectors.

Airspeeder
Alauda Aeronautics

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