Indian designs a 'flying saucer'

A scientist of Indian origin from the Uni­versityof Florida in the US has conceptu­alised the design for a plasma-propelled flying saucer. Subrata Roy, University of Florida mechanical and aerospace engineering associate professor has submitted a patent application for a circular, spinning aircraft design. He calls his design a "wingless electromagnetic air vehicle," or WEAV. The proposed prototype is small - measure less than 15 cm across - and will be efficient enough to be powered by onboard batteries. The propulsion system for Roy's saucer sprouts from his extensive US air force funded plasma actuator research. Ac­cording to Roy the design can be scaled up and theoretically should work in a much larger form.