An agency of the US Department of Defense , the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency ( DARPA ) , has funded two companies with $ 5.2 m to develop delivery drones that will shatter into dust upon completing their mission . Currently, small airplanes deliver supplies by dropping them, then letting them float to their destination on parachutes. NASA has been working on the technology , known as the Vanishing Programmable Resources ( VAPR ) program , since 2013 . DZYNE Technologies and Xerox Palo Alto Research Center ( California ) , are to enter a second phase of testing and development on the technology , after which the DoD hopes to have aircraft that will become untraceable after dropping into enemy territory .
An agency of the US Department of Defense , the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency ( DARPA ) , has funded two companies with $ 5.2 m to develop delivery drones that will shatter into dust upon completing their mission . NASA has been working on the technology , known as the Vanishing Programmable Resources ( VAPR ) program , since 2013 . DZYNE Technologies and Xerox Palo Alto Research Center ( California ) , are to enter a second phase of testing and development on the technology , after which the DoD hopes to have aircraft that will become untraceable after dropping into enemy territory .