When most people think of drones they think of the unmanned aerial vehicles dashing through the sky. But if Google Inc. gets its way, drones may soon become an office mainstay as well.

In a filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the search giant is seeking a patent for what it describes as a “mobile telepresence system” involving a bizarre-looking drone that could be used to conduct virtual meetings by allowing those not actually present to appear by video feed.

The problem, as Google sees it, is that existing telepresence robots, usually an iPad attached to a robotic stand, are can’t navigate a business environment very easily. Also, they can’t use stairs. A drone-based telepresence solution wouldn’t have the same limitations.

“Implementation of a mobile telepresence system on a relatively compact and operationally efficient airborne platform such as a quadcopter may provide significant improvements in, for example, speed, maneuverability, energy consumption and the like, facilitating access to spaces which may be otherwise difficult to access by a larger and less maneuverable platform,” Google notes in the application.

The drone itself is a quadcopter that hosts a mobile phone and projection system to allow an operator to listen, speak and be seen at a meeting where the device was present.

“Office drones could facilitate the benefits achieved by telepresence conferencing, such as reduced travel expenses and environmental impacts, plus improved coordination and productivity,” according to Google, and could be used by “a medical professional consulting with a patient and/or another medical professional at a different location” or “an instructor providing instruction to students at remote locations.”

Whether the idea for the drone has moved beyond a theoretical concept stage and has actually been built by Google was not mentioned in the patent.

The idea of small drones buzzing around an office to provide workforce collaboration may sound far-fetched. Then again, only a few years ago, who would have thought drones would ever deliver pizzas?

Image courtesy of Google/USPTO