The China Railway Corporation (referred to as “CR Corp”) announced several recent unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) railway safety incidents on May 9.
In April this year, Mr. Wu was controlling a UAV along the railway line in Cangzhou City, Hebei Province to spray pesticides in the wheat fields. The UAV flew under a railway viaduct, then ascended to the viaduct, eventually losing control and crashing onto the railway track. The G15 high-speed train passing by hit the UAV, causing a 32-minute delay and affecting the punctuality of 63 trains.
Also in April, Wu, operating a UAV for pesticide spraying along the Qiujiu High-Speed Railway in Shangrao City, Jiangxi Province, made a mistake in operation which led to the UAV crashing onto the railway track, resulting in a 7-minute delay for the passing G1524 train.
In the same month, Zeng, flying a UAV for fertilizing farmland along the Beijing-Guangzhou High-Speed Railway in Shaoguan City, Guangdong Province, had the UAV fly over the railway line, hitting the railway contact net and falling under a nearby railway bridge, damaging the contact net.
Apart from the mentioned incidents, in January and March 2026, along the Fengdong High-Speed Railway in Fangchenggang City, Guangxi, and the Hangshen High-Speed Railway in Ningde City, Fujian, unrelated individuals were detained for flying drones for scenic shooting and pesticide spraying, leading to their drones tangling with the overhead power lines outside the railway fence, subsequently falling onto the railway track.
According to reports from the China Business Daily, CR Corp officials stated that the electrified contact net above the railway typically uses 27.5 kilovolts of high voltage electricity, and drones approaching can be influenced by magnetic fields, causing them to lose control and crash.
Personnel from the China Railway Zhengzhou Bureau Corp noted that although the use of drones by outsiders in railway areas is prohibited, the application of drones for railway line inspections has become widespread.
The incidents serve as a reminder of the importance of strictly adhering to safety regulations and guidelines to prevent such accidents and ensure the smooth operation of railway transportation systems.