'Flying food' trial expands in Australia

Is it a bird? It is a plane? Is it the Vegemite you ordered?

The latter could be a legitimate question in some parts of Australia this week after Google spin-off Wing announced an extension of its drone delivery services.

The company has partnered with online platform DoorDash to offer food sent by drone, promising door-to-door service in less than 15 minutes.

The announcement is the latest extension of Wing's Australian drone trials, which began in Canberra and NSW in 2017, and will be the first time customers can order drone deliveries through a third-party app.

Wing global spokesman Jonathan Bass told AAP "several thousand" DoorDash customers in Queensland's Logan region would be able to order 120 food and medical items through the app.

While drones could only deliver up to one kilogram of goods at a time, DoorDash users would be able to order milk, Vegemite, over-the-counter medication, pet food, or iced coffee through the service, he said.

"It's a really exciting day for us," Mr Bass said.

"DoorDash is one of the most popular delivery apps in the world, and we will increasingly work with logistics companies and marketplaces to extend the reach of our deliveries."

Deliveries will initially be available to residents in Berrinba, Browns Plains, Crestmead, Heritage Park, Kingston, Logan Central, Marsden, Regents Park and Waterford West, and will be available at no charge for "for the first several months".

Mr Bass said Wing planned to "expand beyond Logan" in the future.

DoorDash Australia general manager Rebecca Burrows said eligible customers would be able to select a drone delivery with the "DoorDash Air" option in its app.

"We cannot be more excited to be at the forefront of drone deliveries," she said.

"Delivery drones create a quick, efficient delivery option for smaller orders weighing just over a kilo, and free up ground delivery services for larger deliveries that provide better compensation to drivers."

Wing began testing drones in rural border communities within Canberra and NSW in 2017, and now operates services in Canberra and Logan.

Earlier this year, Wing announced a deal with Coles to deliver 250 supermarket items by drone and revealed Australians had made 100,000 drone delivery orders in 2021 and 30,000 in the first two months of 2022 alone.

The company also operates drone deliveries in the US and Finland, and passed 200,000 deliveries worldwide in March.