(Image: Swiss Post/Alessandro Della Bella)
For a company that is struggling with a decrease in its letter business, Australia Post is not shy about wanting to have a stab at any venture that could make it money.
Unlike the whacky blockchain voting proposal[1] it put forward in 2016, the postal service's latest plan seems much more closer to the company's core business.
It's an idea of modern delivery -- for blood, by drones.
Speaking to Senate Estimates on Tuesday, Australia Post CEO Christine Holgate said the company had been working with Swiss Post.
"In some countries ... they are using drones to be able to carry blood to points of accident -- and Swiss Post are doing that," Holgate said.
"We are actually working with Swiss Post, and in fact in just a few weeks time I'm meeting again with the CEO of Swiss Post to see what we can learn from what they have done, and to see how we too can offer those services for accident and emergency."
Swiss Post has described[2] its drones as 80cm quadrocopters, sans blades, that are capable of carrying 2kg a maximum range of 20kms, at an average speed of 36km/h.
"For safety reasons, duplicates of both the autopilot and other important sensors (e.g. altimeter, accelerometer, gyrometer) are always installed," Swiss Post said.
"In the event of the failure of all electronics, a parachute would be released automatically. A landing pad that transmits an infrared signal is used at the take-off and landing points."
The CEO added she believes automation could help Australia Post, and the time when drones take people's jobs is "some long way off".
"[Automation] shouldn't