UN hosts event to discuss global guidelines for drones
Representatives from NASA, Boeing, Amazon and General Electric are among the organisations set to discuss the blossoming drone industry during a two-day meeting in Montreal, sponsored by the UN's International Civil Aviation Organisation. While the talks represent initial discussions rather than a formal attempt to legislate, the meeting is an opportunity for the UN to advance its ambition to create a global drone registry.

The aviation arm of the United Nations is sponsoring a two-day event in Montreal, where participants like Amazon Inc., the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Boeing Co., General Electric Co., two leading industry trade associations, and researchers from China and Brazil will gather to meet about the booming drone industry.

“(The event) isn’t likely to produce specific rules or even a consensus around general principles. It’s not intended to prompt any country to immediately adopt new regulations,” the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.

“The default response in many countries is a blanket ban on flying,” which further frustrates both recreational and commercial users, Stephen Creamer, International Civil Aviation Organization’s top safety official, told the WSJ.

The UN is also backing ICAO’s proposal to create a global drone registry, which would create a “one-stop shop” for law enforcement to access all drone data and information, as opposed to multiple databases.