A Chinese company called X-Control is developing this Janus-I Flying Suitcase.
This is a personal VTOL aircraft that looks like an engineering school project, but bear with us. The heart of this design is that overhead structure housing the rotors. A gas-powered turboshaft engine is slung beneath it, on the rear end. The company’s aim is for the design to be modular and support different body styles beneath the flight-enabling structure.
Surprisingly, both the rotor housing and the cockpit can be broken down like origami:
The company says their final design will fit into a car trunk, and that “its user-friendly controls make flying as simple as driving a car — no license required.” (I imagine that would depend on the municipality.)
They also envision an autonomous version that can carry cargo.
Vaporware, or real deal? Only time will tell; the company hasn’t announced a production date nor pricing.
Here’s video of them buzzing around a lake with a prototype: