HEREis a question for the modern age. Have you been troubled by a drone?

No, not a noise coming from the passenger seat and possibly the rear but one of those mini-helicopter things like the one which got someone arrested at Wimbledon which very rude people are using to take snaps from the air.

One Sunday last month we were disturbed by a camera-laden nuisance being flown over our cold drinks so low that, had it been a pheasant, the shot would have been considered unsporting.

After ten minutes it flew off to be nosey somewhere else and nothing more was said until this week when Mrs Orme spotted pictures from the flight on a local off your Facebook page. Low and intrusive? You could clearly see the dog's nipples. If you want to know what I look like in shorts you've missed your chance.

More disturbing was that it showed every vehicle and outbuilding we own, along with best escape routes for Chummy should he fancy a bit of light summertime burglary.

We had it taken down.

These drones, like Teflon, are a spin-off from technology developed for other uses. Your frying pan started life with NASA and mini-whirlybirds were developed for spying on naughty people with too much sand in their flip-flops.

The human animal is addicted to technology and has been since man first discovered stone was better than wood for belting enemies over the head. Therefore it is hardly surprising that what started out as a sort of green righteousness-fest, the hybrid car, loved by the luvvies in the limelight who could always dump it for the Ferrari when the cameras were off, has taken on many manifestations.

Who would have thought we would see hulking great 4x4 hybrids? Or the Infinity M30h? A boardroom on wheels with performance which belies the idea that you are somehow saving both your company some tax and all the furry animals north of Cockaleekie.

Inevitably the technology has arrived in a hatchback. Well it's not warp drive, you just use a different body shape in the same way England would swap Stirling for me if they wanted to see if the turnstiles were wide enough.

Lexus' unique selling point for its 1.8-litre CT 200h is that it is the world's first full hybrid luxury hatchback. Making the point, I suppose, that others have efficient hybrids hatches but not quite with the best tailoring.

So it's fitting not just to look at the 200h per se but specifically at the Premier version which comes with the entire wardrobe of desirables. That'll be £29,745, please, unless you want metallic paint.

All 200h versions use the same petrol-electric drive train, so your choice comes down to spec. The reason for being, of course, is saving the planet long enough for Greece to pay its arrears. So death gas output is limited to 99g/km which, no matter what Ozzy Osborne does to VED, will cost you nothing o'clock a year.

What's more 68mpg is possible. Expect reality to be somewhere in the early 50s. The CT 200h is not fast. Remotely. With a 0-62mph time of 10.3 seconds a council speed limit is more exciting.

Right then, it's not particularly cheap to buy, handling may be good but you are hardly going to push any limits so what's the attraction?

Well, as a drive the Premier is a joy. Ride is good, noise levels low and once in full flow it makes mincemeat of motorways.

Then there is the cabin. Leather clad throughout it comes with just about everything you could want either for safety, eight airbags is more than a bouncy castle, or convenience items like cruise control, parking cameras and sensors and the usual connections along with a touch screen navigator.

There are one or two interesting toys. Dynamic instrument display changes colour from blue to red in sport mode and the eco meter can be switched to a rev counter and cruise control can me altered on the move by flicking a lever.

Time and again hybrid passengers mention that there does not seem to be much electrickery going on, with engines cutting in quite quickly. The thing to remember with the 2000h is that it is popping in and out of drive modes constantly. Just though you should know. Now shut up.

Would I buy a 200h? Probably. Premier? Well even if it came with its own red carpet and a free Kelly Brook more likely a considerably cheaper S with added sat-nav but I'm not going to drone on about it.