Hong Kong rail operator the MTR Corporation is testing the use of drones for tasks such as tunnel inspections to slash the time to complete “repetitive” and “tedious” jobs.

The tests, carried out in the tunnel from Admiralty to the Exhibition Centre station on the East Rail line, have been proceeding satisfactorily, according to the rail giant. It is also planning to apply to authorities to expand the tests to cover open sections of the line.

The MTR said the trial was one of 38 “sandbox” projects launched by authorities to help promote the usage of drones, with the firm testing their capabilities for automatic tunnel inspections and placing red flashing lights to mark areas undergoing construction work.

A sandbox is a space where software or new technology can be tried out in a pilot scheme or test environment.

The company said the drones were operated on a platform that allowed them to complete their tasks automatically on a programmable route.

“We would like to make use of the mobility of drones to help our [staff] to carry out some repetitive tasks,” Chan Hing-keung, the MTR Corp’s chief of operations for engineering service and innovation, said on Thursday.