PLASMA PROPULSION

"University of Florida mechanical and aerospace engineering associate professor Subrata Roy has submitted a patent for a circular, spinning craft that can hover and take off vertically. The wingless electromagnetic air vehicle, or WEAV, is just six inches across, but has the potential to be scaled up to a much larger size. The WEAV is covered with electrodes that ionise the surrounding air into plasma, which functions as the conducting fluid. Passing a current through the plasma creates lift and momentum."

http://cpdlt.mae.ufl.edu/index.htm
http://www.gizmag.com/the-wingless-electromagnetic-air-vehicle/9615/