Online retailer Rakuten Inc. has put air deliveries at golf courses on the fringe of reality.

The company on May 9 started using drones to provide food and drinks to players at a golf course here. The unmanned flying vehicles can also give extra balls to duffers who can’t seem to stay on course.

Online retailer Rakuten Inc. has put air deliveries at golf courses on the fringe of reality.

The company on May 9 started using drones to provide food and drinks to players at a golf course here. The unmanned flying vehicles can also give extra balls to duffers who can’t seem to stay on course.

ONJUKU, Chiba Prefecture--Online retailer Rakuten Inc. has put air deliveries at golf courses on the fringe of reality.

The company on May 9 will start using drones to provide food and drinks to players at a golf course here. The unmanned flying vehicles can also give extra balls to duffers who can’t seem to stay on course.

Players can receive goods weighing up to 2 kilograms if they download a special app and enter their coordinates on the golf course.

The drones that will be used were developed by Chiba-based Autonomous Control Systems Laboratory Ltd. The ordered goods will be loaded on the drones from a site near the clubhouse.

Delivery will be free for the time being, according to Rakuten officials.

After a one-month trial period, Rakuten will consider improvements to the service, and then offer similar deliveries at other golf courses.

The company ultimately intends to use drones to deliver goods sold through its online shopping site to underpopulated areas, the officials said.