Story highlights Pentagon researchers order plane that takes off and lands vertically with 24 ducted fans

The experimental unmanned plane is powered by a hybrid electric engine system

(CNN) No one has ever seen any airplane like this, except on computer animation. Now, some of the world's top aeronautical engineers are going to build it for real.

The plan calls for constructing a six-ton unmanned, remote controlled plane the size of a business jet with 24 spinning propellers embedded in its huge moveable wings that allow it to magically hover in midair.

It's an experimental airplane they call LightningStrike.

DARPA is trying to develop vertical takeoff and landing planes, called VTOLs, that fly faster and burn less fuel than current VTOLs, like the V-22 and MV-22 Osprey. You may have seen the Osprey, which is noticeable by its two big tilt-rotors on each side. These aircraft escort President Obama's Marine One helicopters.

MV-22 Ospreys escort President Obama during a recent trip.

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