Self-driving “Starship” robots from the makers of Skype are trundling along the streets of London delivering Hermes parcels as part of a trial to test the technology.

    The robot was invented by Skype co-founders Ahti Heinla and Janus Friis who hope their machine will be appealing for small businesses who could send up to 9kg of goods to local customers.

    Unlike robots designed to resemble humans, Starship’s bot is purely functional with a large compartment to hold deliveries, the equivalent size of two grocery bags.

    The idea is that consumers could call for a delivery, which is carried to their door by a robot in between five and 30 minutes, for as little as 60 cents.

    Each six-wheeled ground drone is almost completely self-driving, but to begin with will be half controlled by a human operator.

    The robot constantly connected to the Internet, using 3G technology to find its way to the customer’s address.

    Walking on the pavement at about 3km/h, robots can complete local deliveries within five to 30 minutes from a local hub or retail outlet.

    Integrated navigation* and obstacle* avoidance software enable the robots to steer clear of pedestrians or to jump over kerbs and cobbles.

    If a thief attempts to tamper with the robot, or snatch it, the operator can take over — talking directly to the wrongdoer and sending police to the drone’s location. The drone’s nine cameras can also capture the criminal’s face.

    In any case, the bot’s cargo trunk is sealed throughout the trip and only the customer can open it using a specific app upon the drone’s arrival. (SD-Agencies)