Drones are all the rage lately, and UPS has applied for certification that would allow them to expand its use of drones.

UPS announced Tuesday that it haslaunched a new subsidary called Flight Forward and has applied for FAA certification to expand it's current usage of drones.

"When approved, this certification lays the foundation for drone flights beyond an operator’s visual line of sight, and for flights occurring day or night," a UPS statement said.

“UPS’s formation of a drone delivery company and application to begin regular operations under this level of certification is historic for UPS and for the drone and logistics industries,” Scott Price, UPS chief transformation and strategy officer, wrote in a statement on the company's website.

UPS isn't alone in the venture to deliver small packages via drone.

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Amazon announced in early June a new design for a self-piloting drone that the company would use to deliver packages. The plan was to start implementing it within a few months after years of working toward that goal.

In April, Google offshoot Alphabet's Wing got Federal Aviation Administration approval to use drones for delivery. It aims to implement home and business deliveries by the end of the year.

"The advantages of drones are speed and efficiency," said Jim Mayer, a spokesman for UPS in Louisville.

UPS is currently using drones to transport medical samples in Raleigh, North Carolina, in mere minutes.

UPS may get FAA approval this year to fly over people, at night and out of the operator's line of sight, Mayer said.

After that, it's not known how long it could take to start using a drone delivery system.

Mayer said there have been no plans announced to use drones in Louisville.

"UPS intends to remain at the forefront of drone commercial aviation, and the industry leader in FAA fully certified U.S. drone operation for routine flights," Mayer said.

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"UPS has tested the use of drones launched from the top of a package delivery vehicle to generate efficiencies on low-density delivery routes in rural areas," he added. "But it’s important to note that drones don’t replace our uniformed service providers, who offer a level of service and human interaction that our customers tell us they value, respect and trust."

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