The South Korean Army has halted drone flights at the request of the Ground Operations Command after the crash of a Heron reconnaissance drone, military officials confirmed on March 18, 2025.
The IAI Heron-1 drone, which had been operated by the Joint Intelligence Group (JIG), crashed on March 17, 2025, while attempting to land at Yangju Air Base, 25 kilometers (15 miles) from the North Korean border.
According to preliminary reports, the drone suddenly changed direction during landing and collided with a parked KAI KUH-1 Surion transport helicopter. The collision resulted in a fire that completely destroyed both aircraft. Fire authorities dispatched to the scene managed to extinguish the blaze within 30 minutes. No casualties were reported.
The estimated property damage exceeds 23 billion won ($17 million), with the drone valued at approximately 3 billion won ($2 million) and the helicopter at 20 billion won ($13 million). Additionally, a second helicopter sustained external damages and will need to undergo repairs. A committee has been formed to investigate the accident to determine the cause and prevent future incidents.
South Korea’s observation capabilities weakened
The IAI Heron-1 is a long-endurance, medium-altitude UAV capable of flying for more than 24 hours with a range of 250 kilometers (155 miles).
In 2016, the South Korean Army introduced three Heron mid-altitude reconnaissance drones along the northwestern frontline to conduct surveillance over the demilitarized zone at the 38th parallel, the northwestern border islands in the Yellow Sea, and inland areas near Seoul.
One crashed in November 2023 due to suspected North Korean GPS jamming, while another has been grounded due to parts maintenance issues, according to Yonhap News. With the loss of the final operational Heron in this latest incident, disruptions in reconnaissance activities against North Korea are anticipated.
To mitigate potential reconnaissance gaps following the flight suspension, the military has ramped up operations of alternative surveillance assets, including the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) Global Hawk drones, reconnaissance satellites, and joint intelligence assets with the United States.
This incident comes shortly after a serious event involving the Republic of Korea Air Force. On March 6, 2025, two ROKAF KF-16 fighter jets accidentally dropped bombs outside the designated training area during a joint military exercise with the United States. A preliminary report attributed the accidental bombing to pilot error. Investigators noted that the pilots had three opportunities to correct the mistake of entering incorrect target coordinates before takeoff.
