Engineer aims to create plasma-powered micro air vehicle

Watch out, battery-powered MAVs -- your viability could be seriously in danger. Based on a patent application from University of Florida aerospace engineer Subrata Roy, he's reckoning that a micro air vehicle could be propelled by plasma. Scientists have known that passing a current or magnetic field through a conducting fluid generates a force, but exploiting it for use in moving an aircraft has proven futile thus far. The phenomenon, simply known as magnetohydrodynamics, has typically been tested on larger crafts, but Mr. Roy's invention would boast a wingspan of less than 15-centimeters and resemble a flying saucer more so than a 747. Of course, this fantastic idea has yet to become much more than just that, but for armed forces and entities obsessed with surveillance, this could undoubtedly be big.

[darkstar @ May 9th 2008 12:31AM]

the hoverboard is finally coming!
YAY!

[Matt E. @ May 9th 2008 12:55AM]

Forget the hoverboard. I want Luke's Landspeeder!

[Funke, Tobias Dr. @ May 9th 2008 4:27AM]

I'll hover convert your old road car into into a skyway flyer! For only $39,999.95!

[teej @ May 9th 2008 9:53AM]

omgosh! Dr. Tobias Funke...the world's first analyst/therapist, aptly titled, an analrapist! welcome to the technology blog, good sir!

[Funke, Tobias Dr. @ May 9th 2008 7:09PM]

Danke schön!

The umlaut works here. It doesn't allow it in display names though.

[TrafficGeek @ May 9th 2008 12:36AM]

yeah, nice try... how long is that extension cord again?

[Mark @ May 9th 2008 12:45AM]

Hear that??..the sound of bags of money being carried by Exxon..

[eggothewaffle @ May 9th 2008 12:47AM]

...That's not money...Those are bullets!

[Jason @ May 9th 2008 3:37AM]

It's what they do: buy up all the patents for viable alternative energy and sit them on a shelf until we've used up our fossil fuels. Once they've milked our planet for all it's worth, then they'll break out the ideas for new energy and cash in on them.

[Funke, Tobias Dr. @ May 9th 2008 4:25AM]

So I guess the suits at Ford and GM are waiting until their own cars get repossessed before they break out the uber-secret technology.

If they had it, they'd use it. And if it was patented, the process to make it would be made public; I guarantee Chinese would be copying it.

[PEZ @ May 9th 2008 6:38AM]

How much can thing this hold at 15cm? A doggie!

[alex @ May 9th 2008 7:39AM]

Could I bake a bun cake in that too?

[kr @ May 9th 2008 8:30AM]

isn't it bundt cake?

[alex @ May 9th 2008 9:13AM]

I stand corrected.

[slarity @ May 9th 2008 8:36AM]

I cant get the link to work.

Does it specifically say it won't be bigger than 15cm? Maybe they are starting small to minimize cost.

[Jay @ May 9th 2008 8:46AM]

I did a search for Subrata Roy on the wipo.int website and and found this http://www.wipo.int/pctdb/en/wo.jsp?WO=2008016928

Just says the system CAN be used on 15cm aircraft.

[Wanderer @ May 9th 2008 9:03AM]

I'll actually get to ride a speeder bike before I die !!

[snoopy @ May 9th 2008 9:37AM]

So when flying saucers ARE flying around in the sky, what will happen to UFO sightings...will they end cause everything can be explained by our own flying stuff?

[Nano2e @ May 13th 2008 4:16PM]

Of course not. It simply means that government cover-ups will be less imaginative.

[Alan @ May 9th 2008 9:52AM]

magnetohydrodynamics?

that's what they say runs the silent drive of the Red October in the Hunt For Red October

surprised no one else commented on that before me

great movie

[bdewong @ May 9th 2008 12:54PM]

Wait, isn't this the same technology that cut open the pigs and cadavers yesterday?

[jwelch @ May 10th 2008 11:43PM]

The plural of craft (as in vehicles) is craft. The plural of craft (as in hobbies) is crafts.