Drone delivery drugs; prescription drugs that is. Image: Oliver Berg/picture-alliance/dpa/AP

Drones are all over the news at the moment - are they really a science fiction notion soon to become reality?

Tapping into the current frenzy stoked by Amazon’s Prime Air experiment, Germany’s express delivery company, Deutsche Post (DHL) showed footage this week of its own delivery drone in action. This time the cargo on board was reportedly something you can’t order from Amazon: prescription drugs.

Testing a drone that could be used in drug delivery - dropping off urgently needed medical supplies to remote locations in the future is certainly an admirable thing. However there is already much speculation about how this delivery mechanism will be abused by drug smugglers and potentially become a nightmare for law enforcement . Putting the negatives aside, one cannot help but get excited about the possibilities of aerial delivery and how that will help advance and accelerate medicine. Whether from a pure supply chain point of view, or whether you consider the humanitarian possibilities it certainly makes for exciting times and opens up a wealth of opportunities.