Will it soon be as normal to have a drone in your pocket as it is to have a smartphone in your pocket today?

That is what researchers at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands believe. They are working on light weight, palm-sized drones for the urban environment.

The team is responsible for the world's smallest drone with a functional camera - weighing only 4 grams. And it is working on low cost technology that will allow such lightweight drones to navigate cities autonomously, by working in conjunction with smartphones.

Research is already under way to see if drones can be used professionally for package deliveries, land surveying and medical care.

But the team at Delft believe that the lightweight nature of their miniature drones makes them safer for use in populated areas than the bigger models.

Bart Remes demonstrated a prototype model to the BBC's Dougal Shaw at the RE.WORK Future Cities summit.

Video journalist: Dougal Shaw