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An army of airborne drones could soon be used to bring mobile phone signal and wireless internet access to the remotest parts of the UK.

Britain's biggest mobile phone group EE has begun working on the technology, which it hopes to deploy by the end of the decade.

Using unmanned drones to broadcast phone signal to rural communities is cheaper than erecting traditional masts, it says.

EE has revealed its manifesto to improve network coverage in the UK as part of its Signalling the Future manifesto. They want more than 99 per cnet of the country to have 4G by 2017. By the same year 90 per cent of the UK will also have access to double-speed 4G, accomplished using unmanned drones and balloons

The devices, called Air Masts, are still at an early stage of development. 

But early plans indicate they will be able to fly 0.6 miles (1km) into the air in order to pick up signal from masts up to 12 miles (20km) away.

They will then beam this signal into the area below it, allowing villages below to make mobile phone calls and access the internet.

This avoids the need to expensive cables in the ground and base stations. The drones would work in pairs in order to ensure that one was always airborne.

Each one can hover in one spot for hours, but when it lands to recharge, the other would take its place.

It is likely they would be forced to land during periods of bad weather, meaning that communities would be without access in storms.

But EE thinks this would be more efficient, as it would not be forced to send teams to repair masts damaged by weather.

'In the UK, there are still many places where you can't make a phone call,' said chief executive Olaf Swantee said. 'We want to solve that.'

He said the company's aim with the project was to 'radically improve mobile coverage, this time with a strong focus on rural parts of the UK'.

It comes as part of the company's pledge to spend £1.5 billion ($2.3 billion) over the next three years to expand its network.

This will allow it to offer superfast 4G internet speeds to 90 per cent of the country.

The devices, called Air Masts, are still at an early stage of development. But early plans indicate they will be able to fly 1km into the air in order to pick up signal from masts up to 20km away. They will then beam this signal into the area below it, allowing villages below to access the internet (stock image of drone shown)

As part of its £1.5 billion ($2.3 billion) plans to upgrade its 4G network across the UK, by 2017 the company wants to ensure that its services are extended, especially to rural areas, with the goal of giving more than 99 per cent of the country access to 4G (stock image shown)

Under its plans, which are still in an early stage of development, the company wants to use flying drones in areas it would be too expensive or too difficult to lay cables.

While companies such as Facebook and Google are developing balloons to broadcast internet to remote parts of the world, EE's scheme would be the first time unmanned drones will be used to provide mobile signal.

As well as rural areas, the company could use the drones to provide mobile access for areas that host short-term events, such as music festivals or sporting events.

It is also exploring the possibility of using weather-style balloons as well as drones to provide mobile signal.

EE is currently in the process of being bought by BT in a £12.5 billion ($19 billion) deal. But the company insists that it will continue to develop the technology after the takeover is complete.