Episode 6 Airmageddon

Airmageddon, the ultimate test of airborne skill,

the home of daredevil drone flying,

with more LED lighting than Blackpool.

Four teams, their flying machines go head-to-head in

the toughest aerial challenges known to man.

-Or woman.

-What does that mean?

They must conquer three brutal trials that make

an Olympic triathlon look like an egg and spoon race.

Plus face our fearsome fleet of state-of-the-art resident drones,

aka Sparky, Flamey,

and that tough guy who looks like an intergalactic football!

But who will survive - who will be crowned Master of the Skies?

Whoa!

Aviators, stand by! This is Airmageddon.

APPLAUSE

Welcome to Airmageddon, the home of drones -

a show you really can count on.

Yes, we have got one giant Airena.

Two presenters.

Three dimensions of mayhem.

And four UAVs.

Er, explain, please, Will?

Unmanned aerial vehicles. Keep up, Rach.

Ah, well, I'm already ahead of you, mate, don't worry.

Anyway, let's meet our aviators.

First into the arena, it's Avengedrone, wearing yellow.

Right behind them, Team Zephyr in blue.

Next up, it's Prop Breakers in green and finally Red Zumbido in red.

APPLAUSE

So let's hit start on the first of our challenges, the Airsault Course.

It's a test of precision flying, nerve and sheer determination.

Yeah, and to show us the way, it's over to the notorious PIG.

APPLAUSE

Yes, that's the flying one, not the talking one.

PIG, show us how it's done. Four against three odious obstacles.

First, the Hurdles of Horror.

40 feet high, 30 feet wide, 100% horrible.

Then the Pillars of Precision.

Pinpoint accuracy needed here,

or risk the toughest of obstacles becoming the Pillars of Collision.

Now onto the wicked winds of the Vortex.

Conquer this, you'll be the Earl of Swirl, the Sultan of Spin,

the Count of Montetwisto.

Thanks, PIG. My Personalised Interactive Gyrocopter there.

He made that look easy

but one of these guys is going to make it look a whole lot harder.

-ROBOTIC VOICE:

-Spin the selector.

The GUARD.

He's big, heavy and harder to get past

than a caravan on a country lane.

That's exactly why this bulky boy blocks the final gate.

Even if your name's down, you're not getting in.

That's not going to put our teams off, is it?

Let's find out - first up, it's Avengedrone.

APPLAUSE

Avengedrone are best friends Kieran - who'll be at the controls -

and Ivor, who's his wingman.

Kieran likes sailing, Ivor a dab hand at rugby

and this is the drone they've come up with.

A great design, the MK-KB IF 1.

IF 2 coming out in August!

So have you got any messages for any of the other teams,

cos you guys are first up?

So the important thing is you

post a good score, but I hear you're into playing mind games.

Red Zumbido, we're coming for you.

They're coming for you, Red Zumbido!

OK, Ivor, it's your first go as a wingman -

-are you confident about this?

-Yeah, feeling pretty confident.

Yeah, I think you guys are going to absolutely smash it.

But in a good way - you're not going to smash your drone.

Let's find out, OK? Aviators, stand by.

Air Marshalll airborne, GUARD in position.

Start your motors and rev your rotors.

Repeat, guard in position. Thank you.

In your own time, chaps.

Avengedrone launch in 3, 2, 1.

Avengedrone, assemble.

Avengedrones, yeah.

A catchphrase - Avengedrone assemble.

Now, can Avengedrone get through gate one?

With skill.

Wants to be a NASA engineer, does Kieran at the throttles,

down towards the Hurdles of Horror.

Descend, descend.

Good work from Ivor, wingman.

Communication so key between the duo,

set a time the other teams can't beat.

Remember, that's what it's all about.

OK, through the hoop, let's do this.

Gates, fellas, the gates.

That's a hi-tech gate covered in LED lighting, not a hoop.

Now, the Pillars of Precision, the Obelisks of Accuracy.

The Uprights of Exactitude.

Altitude warning.

Will it be the Columns of Carnage?

Really smooth and very low to the ground there.

Lower than a snake's belly, Will. Look at that.

Descend, descend, descend, descend, descend!

Now, getting up a three and then, you know what it is,

it's that vicious Vortex.

Yes, this windy whirlpool will leave you guaranteed stirred -

hopefully not shaken.

OK, the Vortex now, this is nasty.

Yes, the combination of thick smoke, turbulent winds

plays havoc with even the most accomplished flier.

Ooh, but not this one!

Down under the reds and out through the top, great speed by Avengedrone.

Through the next gate and there he awaits the GUARD.

The incredible bulk!

Time's ticking - he's got to make a move.

And he's done it.

He went wide, 1:43.06 seconds

and that will be a fantastic time for the others to beat.

Aerial dexterity at its finest.

Hello. Should have a bit of swagger after that, shouldn't you?

Tell me how it went, Avengedrone - how did it feel?

Amazing. It was great.

And your time - your time was amazing.

1:43, that's such a quick time. Are you really pleased with that?

Yeah.

The next team hoping to reach sky-high levels of perfection

on the Airmageddon assault course is Team Zephyr!

APPLAUSE

Well, Zephyr's known for their aerial moves - not really!

Anyway - Sophia, she's in charge, wingman - dad, Geoff. Smile, Geoff.

Anyway, Sophia, she loves sushi and she invented the mobile foot shower.

I just can't imagine a mobile needing a foot shower.

Mine doesn't even have feet! I just use it for calls.

Are you feeling confident?

Yeah, I'm feeling quite confident, a little bit nervous,

but I think I'm going to do really well, yeah.

Yeah, well, wingman - that is dad Geoff -

that is your role really, isn't it -

to help manage those nerves, I guess?

Absolutely. We've just got to keep it calm, keep it Zen, you know.

That's what we're trying to do.

Well, Zen-like calm but explosive speed, that's what's needed.

A sort of weird oxymoron here, as we join the action at the third gate.

Good effort.

It's confident flying, but it's steady.

Hopefully, hopefully, it's fast enough to get through.

Well, sadly Will - look, 1:52.

They are indeed behind the previous and there with Rachel,

Avengedrone in the workshop now.

They know they're through.

Time still ticking past the two-minute mark.

Goodness. The Vortex - how will they deal with this?

Their flying has been excellent.

The turbulence just rocking and rolling around, she goes

in under the reds, out through the yellows,

and now just the GUARD to face.

How you do stop a charging GUARD?

Take away his credit card!

HE LAUGHS

Right, come on, attack! Three minutes!

My goodness.

Go, go, go - over the left.

He goes one way, she goes the other, down to the ground

and a magnificent landing.

Well done.

Let's have a look at that again. Yes - wasn't a crash landing,

that's exactly what she meant to do.

Stylish, I'd call it.

GUARD - remain in position at all times, repeat - all times.

Yes, if only GUARD can understand.

He has no idea what's going on - bad boy!

Team Zephyr, come in to the Workshop. High five.

I can't believe it! It was amazing. Well done, Sophia.

Thank you. Oh, my gosh! My heart's racing so much right now.

What was the most difficult part, though, out there?

Oh, my gosh! I think the other drones flying about.

I just didn't want to crash into them.

Also spectacular kind of crash land,

but through the finish line, so it was right.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly.

Yeah, as long as it's through the finish line, I guess fast is better.

Timings.

Well, let's have a look at the Airsault Leaderboard.

Avengedrone on top, 1:43 - tremendous time.

Team Zephyr, a little slower. 3:11. Hopefully they won't be bottom,

after all, four teams have gone, or it'll be an early foot shower.

So the two likely lads out next are the Prop Breakers.

Aviator Joe, wingman Ryan - they're from Nottingham.

Well, check out their drone.

I think a crash could make it look better.

What does JR stand for, I wonder? Eh, Joe and Ryan? hmm?

Urgh!

How are you feeling?

-You look extremely calm. Do you feel as calm as you look?

-No.

Joe, your honesty is inspiring. Ryan, how about you?

Have you got some good words of advice for your aviator?

Just ignore everything and focus on the drone.

Just focus on the drone.

And try not to actually break too many of your own props.

So we pick up the action.

No props broken yet, as they move towards the Pillars of Precision.

Time so far, 54 seconds.

Remember 1:43, our lead time.

Outside three minutes, the slowest now, the Pillars of Precision.

Getting down low for this.

Aviator Joe going low.

Oh, he's close to that pillar.

Really close, my goodness.

Manages just to gather his thoughts and his drone.

Now gate three, then the Vortex.

Yes, good ascent, through gate three now.

Clear. Go down, go down.

The descent's into the smoke.

Well done, well done.

Visibility low. The Vortex in full effect.

Now keep it below the red.

Yes, sir.

Decorum, - quite right, sir. Air Marshalll would be proud.

Now they've gone onto the red and they're coming out.

That was a bit quicker. Remember, fellas, time flies.

-So left.

-The big drone, the GUARD awaits.

If they get past, they're going to go through!

2:20.

Well done, fellas.

APPLAUSE He's shaking that drone.

Prop Breakers enter the Workshop.

So - 2:22, that puts you into second place.

Guaranteed spot in the next round - how does it make you feel?

-Amazing.

-Amazing. Did you expect that?

-To be honest, no.

-No? Why? I thought you were really confident earlier?

I was, and then I don't know what happened.

Timings...

Well, let's have a look at the Airsault Leaderboard.

Avengedrone of course still on top, 1:43,

but the Prop Breakers, 40 seconds behind, or thereabouts.

2:22 and it's Team Zephyr who are down the bottom, 3:11,

one team to come.

They're going to have to hope they're slower.

Now let's meet who they are. Red Zumbido.

They've got a Z in their name. I love it.

Aviator Toby, wingman Hugh. He's the dad, funnily enough.

They're from London.

And this is their drone, Zumbido - that's Spanish for drone,

as we all know.

Bonjour, fellas.

Now when Avengedrone came up here,

they had a little message for you guys.

They said, "Red Zumbido, we're coming for you."

Have you got a reply to those guys?

Yeah, we can't wait to see you.

-HE LAUGHS

-That's really polite, that's really lovely.

I don't know if they're coming around for like a nice

cup of tea, but still! OK, guys.

We can't wait to see you in our sights.

Oh, yeah. Yeah. You're going down, Avengedrone.

I think that's the message I'm getting from it.

OK, nice one, guys. Well, Aviators - stand by.

Start your motors, rev your rotors.

All right, here we go.

Air Marshalll, one second.

Is "zumbido" the Spanish word for drone?

Affirmative, zumbido is the Spanish word for drone.

My goodness, flight Air Marshalll, you are indeed a bright one.

Thank you. My Spanish is surprisingly good for a drone.

Get you, big guy.

-And the other one is...

-HE SPEAKS SPANISH

Tres, dos, uno...

Oh, well, broke into some German as well. Well done, Air Marshalll.

So throttle up and away for Red Zumbido.

Through the first gates, now the Hurdles of Horror.

Mwah-ha-ha-ha-ha!

Coming back over the bar, keep it nice and clear.

They're looking good, just got her down under the second hurdle.

Oh, goodness me.

Good man.

That was about two millimetres away from hitting the bar.

Huh, a whisker.

Going for the ring now, going for the ring.

Er, that's a gate and he's handled it well.

Now to the Pillars of Precision.

They're not just polystyrene uprights, I'll have you know.

Here we go.

Metre and a half wide, this drone.

Watch the pillar, watch the post.

Oh, oh, my goodness me. He's through.

This is good, this is a good time.

It is a good time, Will. That's a great time.

I'm having a great time. They're not any more, they're in a white-out.

The smoke from the Vortex.

It must be blinding for an aviator tying to fly through that, if he

was actually on board, but he's not, he's up in the tower, so it's OK.

Here we are now. Red Zumbido.

-Clear.

-Oh.

Keep towards you, towards you.

Well done, fellas. It's not over yet, though.

They're going to need a little bit of bonhomie

if they're going to get past this big guy - Whatever that means!

But they did it! 1:26!

Look at the fans - they're going wild,

they're going to have to get used to that.

Timings.

Rock star stuff!

Zumbido, 1:26, Avengedrone 1:43,

Prop Breakers, 2:22

and Team Zephyr, I'm afraid they're going to get grounded -

3:11 - they're in the drop zone.

Whoo!

That was super-fast, so they fly right into first place,

budging everybody down, and budging Team Zephyr out of the competition.

Guys, this does mean - I think you know what it means - it means,

Team Zephyr, you are officially grounded.

So one team is heading for the exit,

but three more live to fly another day.

In the immortal words of Destiny's Child, they're survivors.

That's Beyonce's old group. Ask your mums.

Time to find out what fiendish challenge the Airena

has in store for them next. Isn't that right, PIG?

PIG GRUNTS

Moody.

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's PIG!

My old pal, you do the flying - I'll do the words, big guy.

This round's all about speed.

Precision flying and nerves of steel.

Aviators must slalom around the 30-foot-high pillars,

picking up points for each one passed, lowest scores eliminated.

The winner, though, takes the glory

and a crucial five-second bonus through to the Dogfight.

Batteries have been charged, rotors oiled,

your war paint has been reapplied - your drones are ready, but are you?

-ALL: Yes.

-Yes! Aviators, stand by.

Start your motors, rev your rotors.

The Slalom. Round two.

At the end of this round, of course, we'll be down to two. Air Marshalll?

Launch in three, two, one...

Hum, he's gone for English, and we're off.

Big start for the Red Zumbido team.

Going very quickly through the first pillar.

OK, let's go. Weave. Weave.

Weave. Weave.

Bob and weave through every one, you get a point per pillar.

One of them'll want to come out on top of course after this.

Back, back, back, back, back.

Goodness, it's wide for the Prop Breakers.

Joe and Ryan communicating a lot. It's good to see.

Yeah, you've got to chat.

Round the front. Keep it clear, good.

You're doing good, you're doing good. Come left, come left.

Great communication.

Toby's wingman the most vocal, I'd say.

Red Zumbido seem to be going pretty well.

Zumbido are flying, literally!

Nice and even between the green team

and the yellow team with four points apiece.

Five for yellows. Now, what's going on here?

You come through, come on - back, back.

Goodness, they've got to be careful.

The lower you get towards the floor...

-OK, go forward around this one.

-..the thrust changes.

Now the greens rounding that final pole again,

but the reds, my goodness.

Slaloming away.

Great! I'd say it was great footwork if it was a rugby player,

but they're not, of course - they're drones.

Now what's up with the greens?

You CAN hit the floor - it's not exactly in the textbook,

but it is allowed.

Look at that, though - the yellows!

Some clippage! That's got to hurt!

If it had nerves. It is certainly dangerous.

-On board with the Prop Breakers.

-Stop! Er, go through now.

They're falling behind. They're in last at the moment.

Good little shimmy there.

That brings them level.

Double figures, ten apiece. This is looking very tight

between yellow and green,

going one way, going the other.

Cleared. Right, back, back, back.

Great communication skills there from the wingman.

Half of this is confidence, half of this is the opposable thumb.

Other animals not so good at this game.

You can crouch down.

Yes, look at this - the wingman going for a different view.

Reds are sailing away.

The greens, they do like the ground.

What's up? Someone give them a lithium pack! I think they're out!

What's going on there?

The greens going wide again.

The left, come through to the left, come through to the left.

-That's good.

-Red Zumbido, 21, blackjack!

Really tight between yellow and green. This could be close.

16 apiece! Make that 17!

-Forwards, forwards, forwards.

-17, 17.

I learned to count a long time ago, but that's 18!

They seem to go at right angles. Not exactly sure - what's that?

Oh, the reds!

They've taken a clip.

On board with aviator Toby, I think he's just posing.

Oh, Red Zumbido going really high, then.

Yes, very high, that. What's going on?

Perfect, perfect. Back, back, back, back.

Careful, or the Air Marshall will step in. We all know rule 6.1a.

Bobbing and weaving, the yellows. There is only one point in it.

Ten seconds remain.

It's a madhouse in here.

I don't think the reds can lose it now, it's all about the yellows

and greens.

The yellows are off into the lead, the greens are going down.

The time's up!

They HAVE gone down! Greens are out!

Goodbye, sayonara - as they say in Spanish.

Timings.

Danke schon. Now Zumbido are on top, 27.

Behind them, they made a good catch up, Avengedrone to 23,

but we must say goodbye to those Prop Breakers.

21, they're grounded.

-How are you feeling?

-OK, actually.

You feel OK. Have you had a good day, Ryan?

-Yeah, I've had a good time.

-Yeah? Good man.

Well, listen, you were very precise out there - you didn't

knock into anything, so you can leave with your heads held high, OK?

Unfortunately, you're now grounded.

APPLAUSE

So it comes to this - two teams, two pilots, both worthy victors,

but one worthier than the other.

It's time for the Dogfight.

Four lives and a barrel full of laser shots are all that

stand between our two Dogfighters and a place in the semifinal.

A five-second head start gets our round two winner through

the entry activation gate and into the flaming combat zone.

Then it's all about targeting your opponents' infrared sensors

with a well-guided laser shot.

Zap them and they lose a life.

Lose all four, and they're grounded.

Two teams left, one place in the semifinal up for grab.

This is the Dogfight, but they won't be alone out there.

Let's find out which resident drone

they're going to have to steer clear of.

Spin the selector.

The GUARD.

The GUARD.

He's taken on some oil, he's tightened his nuts

and he's back for act three.

So, teams, be warned - if you deviate

from a designated flight path,

then our resident drones will engage, so be prepared.

Uh-oh!

So right from the start, you guys have been trash-talking

each other like nobody's business, so this really is a grudge match.

Have you got any final words, Toby?

It's been fun, but we're still going to take you down.

Kieran?

Good look - you'll need it.

Ho-ho! Almost polite but in the end, not so polite at all!

OK, guys - aviators, strap yourselves in.

Aviators, get ready for battle, this is the Dogfight.

You're clear for launch.

Aviators, as Confucius said -

it doesn't matter how slowly you go, as long as you don't stop.

Drone fighters, stand by.

Red Zumbido launch in three, two, one...

Tell you what, fellas, don't listen to that Confucius, he knows nothing.

Avengedrone, launch.

-And he failed in the trials.

-Red Zumbido engaged.

So the five-second advantage.

He's in the danger zone.

Red Zumbido, they're locked and loaded.

-Avengedrone engaged.

-Bring it, bring it, bring it.

The yellows have to get through their activation gate,

which they have done.

Now what's the Air Marshall doing in the middle of things?

-Whoops, sorry.

-Come on, fella - get out of the way!

Sorry.

Sorry?

And go down to their level.

Goodness, he's overloaded with aviation fuel at lunch, I think.

That's interesting - the reds go high.

That's known as the yoyo,

swirling around there,

past the Air Marshall's head.

Warning, no-fly-zone violation.

No fly zone - you can hear

Red Zumbido getting a warning.

Up in three, now.

No penalties yet, though.

Good shot there from the yellows,

but it misses by just a hair's breadth.

The reds - little pinch back off the floor.

You can see that was not meant at all.

Got to stay in the air, guys. No collateral damage from that, though.

Look at dad, trigger-happy.

Onboard with Toby there.

Goodness me, that was close.

The yellows get off a shot

and that's good!

I have a hit, I have a hit! I got him.

The reds are smoking!

And they're smoking hard too -

they get the yellows back!

Whatever you can do, we can do...just as well.

-Now, that's known as the push it off manoeuvre.

-Now!

In no-one else's book but mine.

Two lives remain.

-That's it!

-Down, down, down.

Zap the yellows, half the lives left.

Onboard with the Avengedrone.

Oh!

-Two lives remaining.

-Zap-ola!

Flames coming out there.

Terrifying sight for the reds to see.

It's all evens right now.

It's equal, as we can see -

two apiece. Two to go. The reds!

A hit there.

Off the hip! Hoof, gotcha!

The yellows just pitching back there -

they've got to be nervous.

Well, they were doing the yo-yo.

-Up, go.

-They're soon to be the dodo.

OK, I'm taking the shot.

They're going to be down and grounded if they don't get one off.

Onboard with Kieran in the yellows.

No shot to take.

What's up with the Air Marshall?

He's hanging round there like a bad smell.

Get out the way, big guy!

Look at this, some evasive action

there for the yellows.

They're staying low. Now can he get one off?

What a perfectly timed shot!

Brilliant stuff from the wingman.

Sudden death!

Look at this.

One shot left to finish it.

From either side.

Now, now, now.

They're both on the ropes...

not literally. There are no ropes!

Mano a mano, drono o drono!

The reds go for the shot - they've hit the yellows! It's over!

The red fans - and they have so many

- just go crazy over that.

Let's look at that replay again.

The reds roll one into the undercarriage of the yellows.

That's got to hurt.

Results - Dogfight.

That was an incredible Dogfight.

Such a shame one team had to lose. Red Zumbido,

they go through to the semifinals.

Avengedrone - goodbye, chaps.

Avengedrone, unfortunately, today you are our runners up,

but congratulations - you guys were amazing.

Ivor, I loved all the commentary over here for Kieran -

"Keep going, keep going, press that laser!" You were fabulous.

So I think congratulations and a round of applause.

-Yeah, brilliant, guys.

-Well done, guys.

We've taken down two people I like so much.

Well, there can only be one winner and today it's Red Zumbido,

Well done, guys. You are through to the semifinals.

Congratulations to both teams, though.

We're seeing everyone else - you guys at home,

very soon right here on Airmageddon for more fights and flight.

Yes. Right, guys -

it's time for you lot to power down and for these guys to step on up!

Drone in, power down.