At first glance at these images, you’d be forgiven for mistaking them as stills from the latest science fiction blockbuster.
But the images are very much real and were snapped as the world’s first manned flying saucer took to the skies over Shenzhen, China this month.
The futuristic vehicle looks just like a cartoon UFO, although it won’t take you to another planet.
Instead, the vehicle is designed to take off and touch back down on either land or water here on Earth.
Incredible footage shows the flying saucer soaring over a lake in Shenzhen with a pilot on board, although it remains unclear when or if it will be ready to accept other passengers.
At first glance at these images, you’d be forgiven for mistaking them as stills from the latest science fiction blockbuster
But the images are very much real and were snapped as the world’s first manned flying saucer took to the skies over Shenzhen, China this month
Chinese news site, Shenzhen Pages, shared images of the donut-shaped aircraft on Twitter this week.
‘After more than three years of research and development, Shenzhen UFO Flying Saucer Technology has manufactured the world’s first electric vertical take-off manned flying saucer,’ it wrote.
The aircraft features a six-hole ducted fan structure with 12 propeller blades, according to Shenzhen Pages.
This allows it to achieve ‘triple safety redundancy in terms of power supply, power motor, flight control, etc,’ it added.
The electric vehicle takes off and lands vertically, and can do this from either land or water, making it an amphibious aircraft.
As it stands, the vehicle can fly for up to 15 minutes, reaching heights of up to 200 metres at speeds of 31mph (50km/hour).
‘At present, this product is mainly used for sightseeing tourism and advertising performances and has obtained global invention patents,’ Shenzhen Pages added.
The news comes shortly after a Miami-based aerospace company revealed that its flying car will hit the skies in two years – but it could cost you up to $350,000.
The futuristic vehicle looks just like a cartoon UFO, although it won’t take you to another planet
Incredible footage shows the flying saucer soaring over a lake in Shenzhen with a pilot on board, although it remains unclear when or if it will be ready to accept other passengers
Doron Merdinger, CEO of Doroni Aerospace, told TMZ that his firm is testing a two-seater vehicle that looks like a hovering drone and expects deliveries not later than 2025.
Merdinger likened the Doroni H1 to a flying ‘roadster’ designed for short trips, taking people several hundred feet into the air at speeds up to 140 miles per hour.
The company recently performed the first untethered flight with its prototype, but the successful endeavor means a full-scale flying model will be ready in the next few months.
The H1 is set to be certified with the Federal Aviation Administration as a Light Sport Aircraft, meaning you will only need a driver’s license and 20 hours training.
WHAT TYPE OF FLYING TAXIS COULD WE EXPECT TO SEE IN THE FUTURE?
Advances in electric motors, battery technology and autonomous software has triggered an explosion in the field of electric air taxis.
Larry Page, CEO of Google parent company Alphabet, has poured millions into aviation start-ups Zee Aero and Kitty Hawk, which are both striving to create all-electric flying cabs.
Kitty Hawk is believed to be developing a flying car and has already filed more than a dozen different aircraft registrations with the Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA.
Page, who co-founded Google with Sergey Brin back in 1998, has personally invested $100 million (£70 million) into the two companies, which have yet to publicly acknowledge or demonstrate their technology.
AirSpaceX unveiled its latest prototype, Mobi-One, at the North American International Auto Show in early 2018. Like its closest rivals, the electric aircraft is designed to carry two to four passengers and is capable of vertical take-off and landing
Airbus is also hard at work on an all-electric, vertical-take-off-and-landing craft, with its latest Project Vahana prototype, branded Alpha One, successfully completing its maiden test flight in February 2018.
The self-piloted helicopter reached a height of 16 feet (five metres) before successfully returning to the ground. In total, the test flight lasted 53 seconds.
Airbus previously shared a well-produced concept video, showcasing its vision for Project Vahana.
The footage reveals a sleek self-flying aircraft that seats one passenger under a canopy that retracts in similar way to a motorcycle helmet visor.
Airbus Project Vahana prototype, branded Alpha One, successfully completed its maiden test flight in February 2018. The self-piloted helicopter reached a height of 16 feet (five metres) before successfully returning to the ground. In total, the test flight lasted 53 seconds
AirSpaceX is another company with ambitions to take commuters to the skies.
The Detroit-based start-up has promised to deploy 2,500 aircrafts in the 50 largest cities in the United States by 2026.
AirSpaceX unveiled its latest prototype, Mobi-One, at the North American International Auto Show in early 2018.
Like its closest rivals, the electric aircraft is designed to carry two to four passengers and is capable of vertical take-off and landing.
AirSpaceX has even included broadband connectivity for high speed internet access so you can check your Facebook News Feed as you fly to work.
Aside from passenger and cargo services, AirSpaceX says the craft can also be used for medical and casualty evacuation, as well as tactical Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR).
Even Uber is working on making its ride-hailing service airborne.
Dubbed Uber Elevate, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi tentatively discussed the company’s plans during a technology conference in January 2018.
‘I think it’s going to happen within the next 10 years,’ he said.
