Police have started an investigation after a commercial drone understood to be worth almost $500,000 was shot down in a rural part of the ACT.

An ACT Policing spokesman confirmed officers responded to the incident in Tennent about 2.15pm on Thursday, February 14.

In Canberra, drones are being trialled to deliver food, beverages and medicine to suburbs and also to check vegetation is not growing too close to power lines. Credit:Nine

"Investigations into this matter remain ongoing," he said.

It is understood Evoenergy was using the drone to carry out surveying work when it was shot down near Apollo Road, and that local landholders had not been notified of the surveying work.