A 60,000 Euros (A$92,800) project to find a better way to deliver newspapers to villages on Finland’s islands will see drones dropping in with the latest news.

A land of a thousand lakes – some of them populated by communities – Finland is also a logistical nightmare when it comes to regular mail deliveries.

Now the Media Industry Research Foundation of Finland is funding an experiment to deliver papers to Saarikylät, to the southeast of Tampere, where there seven villages located on different lake islands.

A pilot project beginning in March will see Lentola Logistics trial drone-based deliveries as an alternative to using cars.

“This is more cost-effective, faster and more environmentally friendly than the current way,” said chief executive Markus Hohenthal.

A Lentola survey has already suggested that people are willing to pay extra if their newspaper arrives early and on their property.

Drones able to carry more than 3.5 kilos will initially carry only a few newspapers at the start and will be restricted to distances of about 20 km. They can fly at up to 80 km/hour, and will take a minute to deliver each newspaper as part of a 20-minute round trip.