The US Navy has successfully launched an unmanned drone aircraft from a submarine.
The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was deployed from a submerged submarine, using a casing fired by a standard Tomahawk torpedo tube.
The drone launch system works by firing the casing, which rises to the surface and then launches the drone vertically, once it's above the water.
The fuel-cell powered drone took just six years to develop from concept to working prototype, and could open up drones to a wider range of uses in the near future.
"Developing disruptive technologies and quickly getting them into the hands of our sailors is what our SwampWorks program is all about," said Craig A. Hughes, Acting Director of Innovation at the Office of Naval Research.
"This demonstration really underpins ONR's dedication and ability to address emerging fleet priorities."
Meanwhile there is no word yet whether Amazon intends to use the system to deliver books and DVDs to oil rigs, but surely it's only a matter of time.