Amazon isn't the only company hoping to some day deliver goods by drone. Google confirmed Thursday it has been working on a secret initiative, dubbed Project Wing, to develop "a delivery system that uses self-flying vehicles." The company said it built a drone and has been test-flying it in Queensland, Australia. "There, we successfully delivered a first aid kit, candy bars, dog treats, and water to a couple of Australian farmers (and one very happy pup)," Google said. The official announcement came the same day that The Atlantic published a report saying that the secret drone program has been two years in development, and that about 30 test flights were conducted earlier this month. Project Wing is being developed by Google X, a division of Google that works on secret cutting-edge technology and research. Google X director Astro Teller told the Brisbane Times that the project's ultimate goal is to build a network of self-flying vehicles that can quickly deliver small and medium-sized packages to anyone.
IN-DEPTH
- Amazon Asks FAA for Permission to Test Drone Delivery on Home Turf
- Why Google Wants a Titan in the Drone Business
- Inside Google’s Secret Drone-Delivery Program (The Atlantic)
