A South Korean Army Heron unmanned air vehicle collided with a parked KAI KUH-1 Surion helicopter at an Army aviation base in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province, on Mar. 17th, at approximately 1 p.m.. The collision ignited a fire that completely destroyed both the drone and the helicopter. Fortunately, no casualties were reported as a result of the incident. This event occurred a mere 11 days after a South Korean Air Force KF-16 fighter jet bombing mishap in Pocheon.
The incident unfolded at the 11th Aviation Group’s Ganap-ri airfield. Based on the location, it is likely that the unit involved was the 209th Aviation Battalion under the 11th Aviation Group of the 1st Corps. The Heron reconnaissance drone, operated by the Army Ground Operations Command, struck a KUH-1 Surion multi-purpose helicopter while the helicopter was stationary on the ground. The drone was reportedly returning from a reconnaissance flight and was in the process of landing when the collision occurred. According to a military official, the drone unexpectedly veered to the right immediately after touching down and collided with the parked helicopter. Witnesses reported hearing an explosion followed by a fire immediately after the impact. Firefighters were dispatched and took approximately 30 minutes to extinguish the blaze, although another source states the fire was put out in about 20 minutes. Photographs taken at the scene depicted the severely damaged and melted wreckage of the Surion helicopter, which was fully fuelled at the time.
The Heron is an Israeli-made reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle developed by IAI. Notably, the Heron has been involved in previous landing incidents in 2018 and 2024, with the military denying any external interference in those cases. It also crashed into a pond in Yangju last November following a suspected North Korean GPS jamming attack.
The KUH-1 Surion is a South Korean multi-purpose helicopter developed by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and has been in service since 2013. The Army currently operates approximately 220 units.
An investigation into the cause of the incident is underway. The military is considering possibilities such as pilot error during operation or a malfunction of the drone. A military official suggested the drone might have failed to decelerate sufficiently upon landing, leading to the collision. An aviation industry source raised the possibility of a landing gear malfunction causing the sudden turn. However, the military has ruled out the possibility of North Korean GPS jamming as a contributing factor to this particular incident. The Heron drone is reportedly controlled remotely by an operator sitting inside a container box at the airfield. Concerns have been raised regarding the proficiency of drone operators given potential personnel shortages within the military. Experts have noted that both the Heron and Surion are “old and proven equipment,” indicating a need for a thorough analysis of potential pilot error. Adding to the complexity, it remains unclear who was operating the drone at the time of the crash, as various military personnel, including officers, non-commissioned officers, and enlisted personnel, are authorised to operate UAVs. The Heron’s history of landing incidents also brings into question whether sufficient safety checks were conducted prior to this deployment.
This collision is the latest in a series of recent military accidents. Just prior, on Mar. 6th, two KF-16 fighter jets accidentally dropped eight bombs during a joint exercise in Pocheon, resulting in injuries to several people and damage to 142 homes. The cause of that incident was attributed to the pilots entering incorrect coordinates. The pilots responsible for the KF-16 bombing have since been charged with professional negligence. Other recent incidents include a military truck crash in Chungju in December that resulted in fatalities and injuries, and an accidental missile launch by the navy in July. The Air Force Chief of Staff issued an apology for the KF-16 incident on Mar. 10th.
Experts have described a drone colliding with a stationary helicopter as an “unusual accident”. There are growing concerns about a potential “serious problem with military discipline” given the frequency of recent incidents. These repeated accidents underscore the urgent need for thorough investigations and the implementation of effective preventative measures within the military.
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