DHAKA: Google is building a fleet of drone aircraft that can bypass earthbound traffic so packages can be delivered to people more quickly in the United States.

"Project Wing," announced on Thursday, escalates Google's technological arms race with rival Amazon, which is also experimenting with self-flying vehicles to carry items bought by customers of its online store.

These planes have much more in common with the Google self-driving car than remote-controlled airplanes people fly in parks.

The company expects it to take several more years before its fleet is fully operational, but has already carried out test flights.

"These planes have much more in common with the Google self-driving car than the remote-controlled airplanes people fly in parks on weekends," Google said on its website, in reference to its project to create autonomous cars.

"Self-flying vehicles could open up entirely new approaches to moving goods, including options that are cheaper, faster, less wasteful and more environmentally sensitive than what's possible today."

Such projects are subject to US law. Amazon last month applied to federal authorities to expand its own drone tests, reports Al-Jazeera.

The Federal Aviation Administration currently allows hobbyists and model aircraft makers to fly drones, while commercial use is mostly banned.

Project Wing is the latest venture to emerge from Google's X lab, which has also been working on self-driving cars.

BDST: 1514 HRS, AUG 29, 2014