The United States moved closer to legalizing the commercial use of drones in February, when the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published proposed regulations. Although some criticized the rules as too restrictive (for example, drones would have to fly only during daylight and within sight of the operator), there is plenty of time for the FAA to change the regulations before they become final, in one to two years.

To hear some tell it, the world will soon be abuzz with small drones that inspect bridges, monitor pipelines, survey crops and help assess damage for insurance claims.

Autonomous vehicles are successful here and now, but you are unlikely to meet one because the successes are in the upper atmosphere, open cast mines, nuclear power stations, underwater and in other relatively inaccessible places - not in driverless deliveries of packages to your door, as some have predicted. Not yet.