Google is planning to launch its drone delivery service, Project Wing, in 2017.

The project was announced by the company’s research lab Google X last year.

Alphabet, the new holding company of Google, currently owns the lab.

Project Wing leader David Vos was quoted by Reuters saying: "Our goal is to have commercial business up and running in 2017.

"We’re pretty much on a campaign here, working with the FAA, working with the small UAV community and the aviation community at large, to move things along.

"Our goal is to have commercial business up and running in 2017."

"We think we can accomplish a lot in the next three, six and 12 months. We’re hoping to get some strong support to make this happen."

Vos did not divulge any details about the type of drones to be used or the type of packages to be delivered through it.

The company is reported to be building its own drones and flew them for trials in Australia last month. It is speculated that the drones will be used for disaster relief or to deliver urgent medical supplies.

Amazon and Alibaba are also planning deliveries through drones.

Amazon has not announced a timeline for its drone delivery service but aims to deliver directly to its online consumers through a drone manufactured by China’s SZ DJI technology.

The drone can ferry 2.3kg of items within 30 minutes of placing an order.

Wal-Mart also applied to US regulators for permission to test drones for home delivery, curbside pickup and checking warehouse inventory services.