Australian critical infrastructure is at risk of being spied on or disrupted because of a lack of government guidance over the growing use of unmanned drones to monitor and carry out menial work, fresh research says.

Unmanned drones have changed how companies monitor their critical assets, lowering costs, increasing worker safety and saving time. By 2030, it is expected the global market will produce about 6.5 million drones a year, compared with 2 million in 2021.