Australis holds an octocopter practice race 

It was a test flight rather than flying with live pilots onboard.

The first-ever race on manned octocopters will take place at the end of this year. It will bring together four teams with two pilots each. Alauda Aeronautics, who are the main organisers of the event, will supply the technology. For the tournament to leave a lasting impression, they decided to conduct a training flight with the Mk3 machines. For now, the company has chosen to abandon the participation of live pilots in favour of remote control.

The track was only 30 meters in length. However, even at such a distance, the octocopter accelerated to 155 km/h and developed a speed of 100 km/h in just 2.8 seconds. The Mk3 is made of carbon fibre and can fly up to an altitude of 500 meters. The device is controlled and linked to an electronic track. In addition, pilots can read all information through augmented reality.