SA Power Networks has issued a warning about using agricultural drones near powerlines following an incident at Wasleys which was the first of its kind to happen in South Australia.
On Wednesday, 10 June, a contractor was using a drone to spray on a property at Wasleys when it hit a powerline. The drone crashed to the ground and caused the high voltage line to drop, causing an outage which affected 58 customers for more than three and a half hours.
With drones becoming more prevalent all-year round to carry out agricultural operations, including crop monitoring, spraying, livestock management and land surveying, the risk of them hitting powerlines exists throughout the year.
Prior to the Wasleys incident, there had been 17 farm safety incidents around power infrastructure across SA in 2026, with the majority involving farm machinery hitting power poles.
SA Power Networks warns any equipment, including drones, striking live powerlines or power infrastructure could have significant consequences including serious harm to the operator or ignition of fires.
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority requires specialised training and flight authorisations for complex farming operations using drones, including spraying, which includes safety rules around staying clear of aerial hazards such as powerlines.
Drone operators are urged to use the free Look up and Live powerline map app, or visit www.lookupandlive.com.au
