Package delivery company United Parcel Service tested home delivery by drone in Lithia, Florida, on Monday, the first step in what the company hopes will be a move toward more automated delivery.

A drone launched from a UPS car roof, flew autonomously toward its destination, dropped a package and then returned to the vehicle, as the driver separately continued on a delivery route.

The Tampa-area test, which UPS said went as expected, came less than a month after UPS said it would push forward investment in automation and technology as the company, along with rival FedEx Corp, struggles with slimmer margins from e-commerce business.

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Package delivery company United Parcel Service Inc tested home delivery by drone in Lithia, Florida, on Monday, the first step in what the company hopes will be a move toward more automated delivery

HOW IT WORKS The system is aimed at rural routes where deliveries are spread out over a large location. It allows drivers to simply pass close to the final delivery destination on a preprogrammed route. Once near, a drone launches from a UPS car roof and flies autonomously toward its destination. There, it drops a package and returns to the vehicle, as the driver continues on a delivery route. Advertisement

'We see this as an exploration into this new technology,' said John Dodero, vice president of industrial engineering at UPS.

The company has conducted drone tests before, and is weighing other uses for the technology, such as in inventory control and helping inspect planes and vehicles within hangars and warehouses.

But UPS has no timeline for when drones might be put into wider use, Dodero said, partly because federal authorities are still developing regulations on how to use the technology.

UPS sees potential particularly in rural routes, such as in Monday's test.

A drone launched from a UPS car roof, flew autonomously toward its destination, dropped a package and then returned to the vehicle, as the driver separately continued on a delivery route

The company has conducted drone tests before, and is weighing other uses for the technology, such as in inventory control and helping inspect planes and vehicles within hangars and warehouses

Cities are dense enough that drivers typically have deliveries grouped relatively close together.

But rural routes are more spread out, and thus more expensive.

If drones can handle some of those deliveries, the company can be more efficient along those areas and lower some costs, Dodero said.

He declined to say whether the company's workforce could be trimmed by attrition as UPS expands drone delivery.

Dodero added UPS is not looking to use drones as a replacement for drivers. 'UPS is never looking to replace our UPS drivers,' he said, calling them 'the face of our company'

UPS sees potential particularly in rural routes, such as in Monday's test. Footage from the test can be seen above

'We have no idea how all that will play out until we find out how to integrate them into the business,' he said.

However, Dodero added UPS is not looking to use drones as a replacement for drivers.

'UPS is never looking to replace our UPS drivers,' he said, calling them 'the face of our company.'

UPS has no timeline for when drones might be put into wider use, Dodero said, partly because federal authorities are still developing regulations on how to use the technology

Cities are dense enough that drivers typically have deliveries grouped relatively close together. But rural routes are more spread out, and thus more expensive. If drones can handle some of those deliveries, the company can be more efficient along those areas

In December, Amazon Air carried out its first drone delivery from its testing site near Cambridge to a farmhouse just 765 yards away.

The package contained an Amazon Fire TV box and a bag of popcorn, and was dropped off just 13 minutes after it was ordered.

Amazon's US billionaire founder Jeff Bezos confirmed the delivery in a tweet earlier that week and posted a video.

'First-ever AmazonPrimeAir customer delivery is in the books,’ Bezos wrote.

‘13 min - click to delivery.'

Dodero declined to say whether the company's workforce could be trimmed by attrition as UPS expands drone delivery

The test comes just months after Amazon's first successful tests with drones. In December, Amazon Air carried out its first drone delivery from its testing site near Cambridge to a farmhouse just 765 yards away