We humans seem to be doing everything we can to ensure that the robotic takeover goes smoothly and with minimum resistance. It's unnerving, really. Scan the headlines on any given day, and you're likely to find at least one story about researchers creating robots designed to take over yet another unexpected aspect of human endeavor. Future android historians will surely look back on this era and marvel at how we participated in our own obsolescence.

If certain forward-thinking captains of industry have their say, robots may soon be replacing your friendly neighborhood UPS guy – or FedEx or even the U.S. Postal Service. Heavyweights, including Google and Amazon, are investing big bucks in the development of drone delivery systems, in which small unmanned aerial vehicles could deliver packages or groceries by flying over your house and dropping parcels on your doorstep.

In fact, German delivery company DHL recently announced a commercial drone delivery service to the island of Juist in the North Sea, which is otherwise accessible only by boat. Domino's Pizza has also started testing a drone service for delivering pies. Regulatory issues will be a challenge, certainly, but maybe we can get the drones to wear those cool UPS-guy shorts.

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