Drones that can think for themselves will be developed in Queensland in a partnership between international aerospace company Boeing and the state government.

Over the next three years, Boeing will develop and test its "autonomous systems" - drones which can be given a task and perform it without input from a human operator.

Boeing vice-president Chris Raymond said the technology had the potential to revolutionise a range of sectors, from military to farming and emergency response.

"At Boeing we believe autonomy is going to continue to enter our lives, both personally and professionally," Mr Raymond told reporters in Brisbane.

He said systems developed by Boeing had helped firefighters during the recent California wildfires, and have been used by the coast guard after hurricanes.