According to the Romanian engineer and inventor, Razvan Sabie universal aircraft ADIFO intended for “a paradigm shift in flight.” Together with Joseph Tapos, ex-head of the Department of theoretical aerodynamics at the National aviation Institute of Romania, he built a working prototype. This machine is able to fly as a quadcopter, and like a supersonic fighter, and looks like a classic “flying saucer” from the comics.
Structurally, ADIFO is the aircraft type “flying wing”, only made it in the form of a regular drive. Its diameter is 1.2 m, the Central massive part tapers sharply towards the edges to minimize air resistance. Formally, there is front and rear where fitted with two propulsion engine for fast set speed. But really ADIFO can move in any direction, to spin, hover in place and perform a wide range of maneuvers inherent in multi-rotors.
In addition to the four standard fans from a drone ADIFO is equipped with four pairs of lateral nozzles that produce jets of gas to create jet thrust. This technology is identical to that used on the spacecraft and allows you to quickly and accurately move the camera in space without the use of rudders, flaps, and similar mechanisms. And when moving at transonic speeds, all openings are covered with flaps.
The prototype uses a simple and cheap items, and the management is deliberately limited to avoid confusion and to maintain the machine during a difficult maneuver. And therefore to talk about the real flight qualities ADIFO is not necessary. Also, although Sabi and talks about the potential to create a manned version, it is hard to imagine what should be the interface in the cockpit and the pilot to cope with the machine, able to move in any direction.
Source — ADIFO