Germany is getting its first drone package delivery service, according to Deutsche Post DHL.

A test programme will see medicine transported to a pharmacy on a North Sea island.

The company said the quad-rotor DHL Paketkopter 2.0 will begin daily flights this week, bringing a maximum load of 1.2kg of medicine to the German island of Juist.

The island has about 1,500 inhabitants. It is usually served by one ferry per day and an occasional small aircraft flight, depending on the weather.

DHL said it will monitor each 7.5-mile flight to the island, but the water, snow and dust-resistant drone will fly on autopilot to deliver the medicine - at no extra cost during the test.

The company said it currently has no concrete plans for full-scale regular drone deliveries.

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