Vertical flying saucer vehicle takes off as engineer’s dream comes true

March 9 (Reuters) – Imagine hopping onto an upright flying saucer to go work or play, without dealing with road traffic.

That is the dream of Stephen Tibbitts, co-founder and chief executive of Zeva Aero, a Tacoma, Washington-based startup whose prototype vehicle recently had a successful full-scale vertical takeoff.

“It’s an octocopter,” Tibbitts said, pointing to the four motors on top and four at the bottom. “It’s a blended wing body and it generates lift as it’s flying forward.”