A customer in Keighley has received what's thought to be Yorkshire's first drone delivery.

The unmanned delivery aircraft dropped off two watches from Yorkshire business Weird Ape.

The firm, based in Halifax, decided to run the trial after market research suggested it was something its customers wanted - and, says founder Stefan Kozikowski, "to see if it was possible".

Stefan said: "Watches are small, light and high value making them ideal candidates for drone deliveries." The drone can fly in a straight line at 20mph, cutting delivery times drastically - the whole process from order to delivery took just 45 minutes.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

The drone on its travels through the West Yorkshire skies

After agreeing to take part in the trial, the customer - who hasn't been named - received a text message notification when the drone was 10 minutes away from their address, then put out a special landing marker to help the robot drop its cargo in the right spot.

Weird Ape's system uses a unique delivery system that opens automatically on landing, and there's a fishy story behind it.

Stefan explained: "At first we were integrating a receiver and servos to open the hatch. This all needed additional power and added weight.

"Seeing us struggle with the design our accountant, an avid fisherman, suggested we create a much simpler design based on a bait dropper. This clever design didn’t require any of the complicated communications equipment, saving cost and weight."

Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

The drone makes its drop.

Drone delievery technology has come a long way since 2013, when Amazon boss Jeff Bezos first announced the firm was working on flying robots to deliver packages to its Prime customers.

At the time, many in the tech world struggled to take the idea seriously.

But by December 2016 Amazon UK made the world's first drone delivery during a trial scheme in Cambridge.

Since then a number of companies have begun experimenting with drone delivery around the world.

Unlike Amazon's fully automated trial, Weird Ape's delivery, which took place on October 31, used a human pilot licensed by the Civil Aviation Authority.