Beijing (PTI): A Chinese private company has claimed to have developed a prototype "UFO-like" aircraft that can fly at an altitude of 1,000 metres with a speed of 80 km an hour, and could be used in aerial photography and geological surveys.

The unmanned disc-shaped methanol fuelled aircraft, which is 1.2 metres in diameter and weighs about 10 kg, can fly up to 40 minutes, Harbin Smart Special Aerocraft Co said.

It can land vertically and hover in the air and can be remote-controlled or sent on a flight path that could be preset and adjusted any time, Wang Zhongxin was quoted as saying by state-run Xinhua news agency.

Researchers took 12 years to develop the UFO-like aircraft following joint efforts of Harbin Smart Special Aerocraft based in Harbin, one of prominent research institute of China Aerospace Science & Industry Corporation and the Harbin Institute of Technology.

The company has begun small scale trial production and has already received orders for 10 aircraft, Wang said.