Google is a powerhouse in the world of business. From pioneering the driverless car to functional virtual reality, Google has maintained a prominent position on the cutting edge. If Google has proven anything, it’s that they can and will continue to grow. Always looking for that next turn in the world of tech, Google has acquired additional companies to fold into their ever-expanding empire.

Google’s robotics team, responsible for many of the aforementioned leaps in technology, have recently acquired companies for their top-secret branch, Google X. All those taking part in the project must adhere to a very strict code of conduct, forbidding them from speaking about current projects to even their family members. Google knows how to play an unveiling, and any new technology they’re working on is being held close to the chest.

After announcing that Google X will be absorbing a solar-powered drone company, speculation has been swirling regarding the mysterious reason for its purchase. Don ChamberlinGoogle X already started to form the future, pumping out science fiction like the Moonshot – their self-driving car, or airborne wind turbines to give us renewable, clean energy. So why then has Google X started to buy up random robot companies? Some speculate that Google is trying to establish and corner the personal robot market, placing a shiny new friend in every home. Others feel that Google may turn toward military application, removing soldiers from the field and saving lives.

No matter the application, Google will surely be able to deliver what it sets out to accomplish. With multiple branches under the Google X named Project Replicant and Project Wing, I wouldn’t be far from surprised if their next announcement was a fully-functional robot, but we’ll have to see what is waiting when Google chooses  to open the curtain.