Despite being iconic vehicles that ultimately derived from the realm of science fiction, thousands of people report sightings of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) every year around the world. Images of flying saucers, aliens, and bright lights in the sky fill our minds when the term “UFO” is brought up, and opens up a topic for debate that is highly contestable for some people.
To some with innovative mindsets involved in the tech industry, it was only a matter of time before this design format was picked up and applied to an earthbound craft. The Italian company Jet Capsule is the first entity to embrace this design, which has been applied to one of their concept designs for a drone that they hope will become publically available in the near future.
Designed by Jet Capsule Engineer Pierpaolo Lazzarini, the saucer-shaped craft is called the IFO (identified flying object), and can be described as a genuine flying saucer. While this concept vehicle hasn’t necessarily mastered interstellar travel, the vehicle has a drone copter design that would be capable of flying over 100 feet off the ground and reaching speeds up to 120 mph. When standing on its six legs, the IFO stands slightly above 11 feet, can take off and land vertically, and is powered by eight electric engines.
The IFO contains a central compartment capable of sitting two people that measures two meters across, and is surrounded by a carbon fiber disk, which extends the craft’s overall diameter to 4.70 meters. There are two main methods of entry into the craft, the first one being an elevator that descends from the central compartment, while the second way is through two removable bridges on the sides.
The IFO has an estimated flight time of 60-70 minutes, and is powered by rechargeable batteries that are embedded in the craft’s carbon fiber frame. The central compartment has a backup battery in case of emergencies, along with also being able to detach from the craft’s outer-ring and deploying a parachute in case of issues with power and other emergencies.
Since only concept designs have been unveiled, not much information has been provided on the schedule of its development and potential release dates. The IFO will make a complimentary addition to the array of different drones flying through our skies, and could very much set a new precedent for future models.
Filed Under: M2M (machine to machine)
