In a recent incident in Leshan, Sichuan Province, a heavy-load drone lost control during a test flight, crashed onto a bridge of the Chengdu-Kunming Railway, triggering a fire that caused severe damage to the railway infrastructure. As a result, trains had to be urgently stopped, leading to a four-hour disruption of rail services. This accident not only resulted in a financial loss of 190,000 yuan but also exposed significant flaws in the management of drones.
According to the official website of the Chinese National Railway Administration, during an illegal test flight conducted by Yufeng Yutu (Leshan) Smart Equipment Co., Ltd. in Shawan District, Leshan City, the drone lost control and crashed onto the bridge of the Chengdu-Kunming Railway, disrupting rail traffic for 253 minutes (approximately 4 hours and 13 minutes), which constituted a serious violation endangering railway safety.
Video footage from the scene showed flames spreading on the railway tracks at the time of the incident.
As reported by Hongxing News, on August 13, the police station at Emei Station of the Xichang Railway Public Security Bureau received a report around 8 p.m. on June 30 that a fire had broken out suddenly on the track in the Shawan section of the Chengdu-Kunming line, leading to an emergency brake and stoppage of Train No. 86920.
It was explained that Tang and two others were flying a drone at the Meinv Peak Scenic Area in Shawan District when the drone crashed due to loss of control, causing a fire on the railway track that disrupted train operations, resulting in a four-hour interruption of rail services and an estimated railway loss of about 190,000 yuan.
The test flight of the drone was not reported, and the operators were unfamiliar with the topography of Meinv Peak and the railway route, lacking proficiency in piloting skills, which led to the accident. Tang and his company were fined 5,000 yuan and 50,000 yuan, respectively, for their involvement in the incident.