The trials will test the effectiveness of drone technology in shark attack mitigation by feeding images back to the operator in real time, using Global Positioning System coordinates.
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Following a recent report into humane shark technologies, smart drum lines will also be tested from next week.
New South Wales Government wants to make sure that next year, sharks and humans can enjoy the water without risk of being harmed.
Minister for Primary Industries Niall Blair today visited the Mid North Coast to make the announcement, which will also include the trial of smart drum lines to better protect surfers and swimmers this summer.
The controversial catch-and-kill policy was later abandoned after objections from the state’s environmental agency and conservationists.
Mr Blair said initial testing of the technology would begin next week.
Beaches on the north coast will have hi-tech drum lines installed off the coast this summer, which hooks and tags sharks before releasing them further out to sea. “So they’re very different to the traditional drum lines which could have sharks sitting on them for days before they’re checked”.
To better track sharks that have already been tagged, the NSW Government will install 10 4G listening stations to provide real-time data on their whereabouts.
The region is now in the jaws of a shark attack epidemic, with a spike in the number of bites and one fatal incident.
A Japanese surfer died in February after his legs were torn off by a shark and there have been 12 other serious attacks up and down the more than 2,000-kilometre-long (1,200-mile) NSW coast.
There were only three attacks in the state in 2014.
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Experts say attacks are increasing as water sports become more popular.
