Google's sister company expands drone research
The Google sister company known as X has partnered with the Australian Capital Territory's Rural Fire Service to expand its research into drone delivery tech. Founded in 2010, X has been responsible for a number of notable achievements, including driverless cars and Google Glass. “Project Wing” will involve testing routine drone deliveries in the locality of Royalla, and gathering feedback from the local community on their attitudes to the new technology. The project also aims to explore how drones might be able to assist fire fighters in difficult-to-reach places.

The Google sister company behind the self-driving car is teaming up with the ACT's Rural Fire Service for its latest research project.

In recent months the company - called "X" - has been trialling an automated drone delivery system at Fernleigh Park in Googong.

Project Wing co-leader James Ryan Burgess with the delivery drone. Credit: Sitthixay Ditthavong

Now the initiative, called Project Wing, is moving to Royalla to ramp-up its testing in collaboration with the ACT Rural Fire Service.

Project co-leader James Ryan Burgess, from San Francisco, said hundreds of homes in the Royalla region could soon benefit from the automated drone technology.