Google testing self-flying delivery vehicles in Australia

As the BBC reports, Google is testing in Australia new delivery self-flying objects, so-called drones, developed by the same Google X lab that is behind the much-anticipated driverless cars set to hit the UK market in early 2015.

Photo: Google's drone, photo credit: engaget.com
Photo: Google’s drone, photo credit: engaget.com

The white glossy pre-progammed aircraft has a wingspan of 4.9ft (1.5m) and 4 electrical propellers. It was developed with civilian purposes in mind—to promptly deliver light-weight packages up to 22lb (10 kg) in case of disasters to some hard-to-access areas. Initially, the machine was supposed to deliver defibrillators to heart attack victims quickly.

Google drones are now being tested in isolated areas of Queensland for delivery of small consumer goods—that’s what it will be used for in the couple of years, as Astro Teller, captain of Google X’s think tank, told the BBC.

With the driverless mini aircraft, Google is following the footsteps of Amazon, who has been developing its own drones for Prime Air delivery and now trying to get permission from US Federal Aviation Administration to test the machines outdoor in America.