A report on the American light news program 60 Minutes claims that online shopping giant Amazon is planning to launch a fleet of drones to delivers its packages – an idea lifted from an Australian start-up company which is also already being used in China.

The US may not be used to following in Australia or China’s footsteps, but when it comes to the hovering delivery robots of the future – it has some catching up to do.

According to the TV report, Amazon has been testing drones which can carry up to two kilograms within a 16 kilometre radius of an Amazon fulfilment centre. The company hopes to have packages whizzing around the country in four to five years – if it can get US Federal Aviation Administration approval.

As previously reported, an Australian textbook distributor Zookal is a few steps ahead of the world’s largest online store – just months away from filling the skies with reference books and course texts.

Both parties are being left behind by China, however, where commercial operation of drones is already legal and underway.

SF Express, one of China’s biggest delivery companies has reportedly been using the automated delivery-bots to drop off packages in Shanghai.

A Shanghai bakery has also employed the pie-in-the-sky idea – using drones to delivery its cakes straight from the oven.

The benefits of drone-delivery are clear, especially in a country like China. Flying units can ease traffic congestion, decrease handling times and save money through efficiency developments.

It is unclear whether the use of drones will be a revolution in logistics and delivery industries, or simply an addition. Certainly it is true that many companies are looking for new ways to cut costs and times through technology and automation.

In the US it is extremely difficult to see the drone idea taking off, as a large amount of residents have already moved to create state laws to protect themselves from being spied on by law enforcement drones – it is less likely they will be in favour of their use for other means.