It’s a little too early to say how this will pan-out (pun intended) but Twitter has recently filed for a patent for a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) that will be able to take photos and videos while being controlled via people’s Twitter accounts.

How does it work? Twitter says that the drone’s location and the subject it sees could be controlled using certain Twitter functions such as retweets and replies, while at the same time it will have the ability to take live video, and interview with its equipped microphone, using something Twitter calls telepresence. It all sounds a little far out, and Twitter not surprisingly has been a tad taciturn about the matter. In an interview with CNBC a representative from Twitter said, “Two words: Drone selfies.” This follows a move this year in which Twitter applied a live streaming and video content feature to its social media under the name of Periscope.

How the drone will be controlled without accident or mayhem is something Twitter has not expanded on, but in terms of who will have control of it Twitter says will follow a, “democratic” process.

This is not the first time of course tech companies have implemented drones. Amazon has its Air Delivery drone, but that hasn’t quite gotten off the ground as yet (another pun intended) which, according to Jeremy Clarkson in a promotional video, “Can fly for 15 miles, and it knows what’s happening around it. It uses ‘sense and avoid’ technology to well, sense, and then avoid, obstacles on the ground and in the air.”

These are all ideas in the making, so you might have to wait a while until you can take your drone selfie or have a package dropped off onto your doorstep by a well-coordinated UAV.

Here’s the main focus of the patent:

Messaging-enabled Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

‘An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) carries a camera, sends data from the camera, and receives commands. The UAV is connected to a messaging platform. Pictures or video clips received from the UAV are selected and placed in messages broadcast by an account associated with the UAV. Video footage from the camera is live-streamed in a card-type message. Account holders of the messaging platform may control the UAV with commands embedded in messages and directed towards an account associated with the UAV. Controllable elements of the UAV include UAV location, camera orientation, camera subject, UAV-mounted lighting, a UAV-mounted display, a UAV-mounted projector, UAV-mounted speakers, and a detachable payload. UAV control may be determined through democratic means. Some UAV functionality may be triggered through aggregated engagements on the messaging platform. The UAV may include a display screen and/or a microphone to provide for telepresence or interview functionality.’

Photo credit: Andrew Turner via Flickr