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A bizarre helicopter that looks like a UFO has been unveiled at a massive airshow in China.



The circular aircraft – dubbed the Super Great White Shark (SGWS) – gained widespread attention for its unique design that looks as if it was inspired by alien sci-fi flicks.



Photos of the prototype craft were taken at the fifth China Helicopter Exposition in Tianjin, on Thursday.



Signs said the helicopter was in the “initial stage of design” and is reportedly drawing on “mature” technologies in the US and Russia.



The post added a new “conceptual design of propeller blades has been successfully applied in helicopter design”.



A picture of the design showed the aircraft can be piloted by two people.



It also revealed where missiles and engines would be fitted in the helicopter.



But, images and video only showed the saucer-like prototype sitting on the ground and not in flight.



It is not clear when the SGWS will finally take flight for the first time.



If it did manage to take to the skies, however, it would be the first functioning rotorcraft – circular aircraft – to ever do so.



Teams in Russia and the US have never managed to create a fully-functioning rotorcraft.



The closest any rotorcraft came to flying was the VZ-9 Avrocar developed by Avro Canada in 1958 during the height of the Cold War.



But, it was never able to overcome thrust and stability issues and the project was ultimately cancelled in 1961.

