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Army drone's botched landing torches military helicopter

Published: 17 Mar. 2025, 16:23 Updated: 17 Mar. 2025, 18:32

Korean soldiers engage in a drone attack response exercise simulating a terrorism scenario in Busan during combined drills with U.S. troops on March 12. Photo is not related to the article. [YONHAP]

An Army surveillance drone collided with a helicopter parked at an airfield in Gyeonggi on Monday, but no casualties were reported, the Army said.

The collision took place as the Israeli-made Heron drone was attempting to land at the Army base in Yangju, Gyeonggi, at about 1 p.m., sparking a fire that took about 20 minutes to extinguish, according to the Army.

No one was injured, but the drone and the helicopter, a Surion built by Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd., were completely destroyed by the fire, an Army official said.

The military has launched an investigation into the exact cause of the accident.

A military official said it did not detect any North Korean attempts to jam GPS signals in the area at the time.

South Korea's military has employed the Heron, built by Israel Aerospace Industries, since 2016 to monitor North Korean artillery stationed on the western coast and other areas.

The accident took place as South Korea and the United States are conducting their major annual springtime exercise, named Freedom Shield, which is set to end its 11-day run on Thursday.

Yonhap