The Government of Queensland in Australia has launched a consultation paper featuring plans to implement the country’s first whole-of-government Drones Strategy.

The strategy aims to address the technology's business opportunities and regulatory challenges.

Feedback from the new ‘Queensland Drones Strategy Consultation Paper’ will be used by the government to formulate future policy and to explore the potential of using drones to promote economic and jobs growth.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said: “My government wants to take drone technologies to the next level and to see Queensland become a world leader in drone investment, research and development.

“Our highly skilled workforce, world-class research and development capabilities, technical expertise and Advance Queensland initiative has already put us in a very strong position, but to achieve this vision we need to work together.

“Our whole-of-government Drones Strategy will be the first of its kind in Australia, and will help to ensure we have the right policies and programs in place to back future technologies and create jobs.”

"Our whole-of-government Drones Strategy will be the first of its kind in Australia, and will help to ensure we have the right policies and programmes in place to back future technologies and create jobs."

Palaszczuk further urged the business, industry, research and the community to provide their feedback on the consultation paper.

In July last year, the Queensland Government had announced its plan to invest A$1m ($793,865 ) in drone technology.

The investment is part of the state government’s Advance Queensland fund and is expected to create 100 new jobs in the aerospace industry.

The funding will be used to develop and test remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) technologies for use in various industries such as liquefied natural gas (LNG), agriculture, mining, energy, telecommunications, search and rescue and environmental management.