Google has become the latest company to develop drone aircraft that could be used for goods deliveries.
The technology giant's advanced-research arm, Google X, has been working on the unmanned aerial vehicles for the past two years as part of a scheme dubbed Project Wing.
"Self-flying vehicles could open up entirely new approaches to moving goods - including options that are cheaper, faster, less wasteful and more environmentally sensitive than what’s possible today," Google said.
The announcement pits the technology firm against online retailer Amazon, which announced plans to test its own drones to deliver goods last year.
However, the scope of Project Wing is much wider than commercial operations. The drone was first conceived of as a way to deliver defibrillator kits to people suspected of having heart attacks, the BBC reports.
The vehicles could also be used in disaster relief efforts, delivering essential aid and medicines to victims of earthquakes, floods or extreme weather events.