What happened
On Wednesday, January 29, 2025, a privately operated DJI Agras T50 crop-spraying drone crashed into power lines near Mount Compass, South Australia, during agricultural operations on Nangkita Road. The collision occurred at approximately 11:30 am local time and resulted in the immediate loss of electricity to the area and ignition of a significant grass fire.
The drone struck the power lines while conducting spraying operations over a dairy farmer's paddock east of Mount Compass. The impact caused the aircraft to be destroyed and triggered an electrical discharge that ignited a fire that rapidly spread through dry grass. The blaze advanced to within 50 metres of a nearby residential property, posing a direct threat to homes in the vicinity.