DRONES POISED TO FLY INTO NEW COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITIES

Nation leads with patent applications

The idea of an unmanned flying object whizzing overhead to deliver goods used to be the fodder of science fiction.

But aerial drones, which are formally classified as "unmanned aircraft systems", could be set to deliver packages worldwide for Uber, Walmart and Amazon this year. They are already being used to assist police departments in the United States during search and rescue operations, among other tasks.