World's first drone café takes off in Netherlands for high-flying cocktails

The world's first drone café has opened in the Netherlands where drinks ordered by customers are delivered through the air by autonomous flying machines.

As if humanity didn't have enough sleepless nights worrying about robots taking our jobs, drone waiters fly into the frame thanks to the pop-up café created by students at the Eindhoven University of Technology.

The staff of unmanned aircraft, called Blue Jay, will hover to where a parched customer awaits and takes an order via camera sensors as they point to one of four drinks options on a list. The order is then relayed to another diligent drone which picks up the drink using a pincher-like grabber fixed to the undercarriage and flown over in a manner that's far from old-fashioned.

Pictures of the drone waiters in action show the machines are fixed with bumpers and work within a fenced off area to avoid the machines going astray. And for those of you worrying about how much of your Martini will be spilt on its way over, drinks are being confined in lidded cups. Although, due to its payload limitations those of you looking to order a pint of Bud (f)light will be disappointed.

The drones, each costing approximately €2,000 (£1,554), come out of a nine-month development programme as part of a project celebrating the 60<sup>th anniversary of the university and a showcase of how drones could be used in applications for modern life – whether being dexterous enough to deliver medicines or act as home helpers.

"We believe that one day, domestic drones will be a part of society. One day, a drone could be a friend," members of the research team told AFP.

"It has potential as a useful tool for human kind. We see it as the next mobile phone. You choose and you programme it like you want. For example you could think of applications like fire prevention, tracking down burglars or delivering medicines."

Despite the drone café being the world's first for flying drinks service it was only open for a few days from 22-24 April, we might have to wait a few years yet until we see the idea take off.