Small, styrofoam drones are already whizzing 70 metres above homes on the outskirts of Brisbane, delivering everything from hamburgers to medicine, with industry heavyweights predicting the technology will expand deep into major Australian cities within the decade.

The rapid growth of Australian suburbs, at times outpacing the amenities to service them, has drone delivery companies such as Wing, a subsidiary of Google’s Alphabet, preparing for the country to emerge as a key market within years.