Authorities on this side of the Atlantic are hoping to harness drone technology to help farmers mind their flocks, engineers maintain pipelines and power cables, and delivery services send parcels faster and cheaper.

"Europe needs to be ambitious and embrace drones as an essential part of the future of flying," says Violeta Bulc, the European Union's transport commissioner.

"Drones are already flying, and the market is pushing for more," she told a recent aviation conference. "We need to create the right environment for them to flourish."