The Home Office has launched an investigation after a surveillance drone caught fire on the M20.
Pictures show the smoking machine by the westbound carriageway between Junction 13 (Folkestone) and Junction 12 (Cheriton) at around 2pm on Sunday (August 24).
There were long delays in the area due to one lane being closed on the motorway.
Two fire engines were called to the scene and used hose reel jets to extinguish the “small remote-controlled aircraft”. No injuries were reported.
By 3pm, traffic had cleared and both lanes were open as usual.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “We can confirm that a surveillance drone was involved in an incident in Kent.
“We are grateful to Kent Fire and Rescue Service and the Civil Aviation Authority for their swift response.
“An investigation into the incident is now underway.”
It is understood that the drone had crashed over water and was being transported in a vehicle when it caught fire.
In 2023, the Home Office awarded Tekever a three-year contract to provide surveillance drones for use over the English Channel.
The aircraft can fly for more than 20 hours and carry multiple sensors, including maritime radars and day and night cameras.
