"Aerial Transport" Accelerates Power Grid Construction in Huangshi

On April 29, over the mountainous terrain near Songwan Village in Daye, Huangshi, a drone flew back and forth hoisting steel materials. Backed by this aerial material transport, power workers were methodically assembling transmission towers.

A drone airlifts materials for tower assembly. Photo by Zhou Wei

This is a snapshot of the full-scale construction of the 220 kV Tongjue Line in Huangshi. During this May Day holiday, over 160 local power workers will continue to battle on the front lines to ensure the project is commissioned on schedule.

A heavy-lift drone flies toward a transmission tower. Photo by Zhou Wei

The line boasts a transmission capacity of 670,000 kW and a total length of 25.8 kilometers, involving the construction of 70 new towers. It serves as a crucial power off-take line for the Jinshang-Hubei ±800 kV ultra-high voltage direct current (UHVDC) project.
Because 40% of the line traverses mountainous areas, transporting tower materials and executing power construction are extremely challenging. To ensure the project stays on schedule, the State Grid Huangshi Power Supply Company innovatively adopted a "rotational drone hoisting" method. This created an "air corridor" for material transport, effectively ensuring uninterrupted construction.
Chen Haipeng, head of Engineering Project Team 1 at the company's Project Management Center, stated that using heavy-lift drones for hoisting and transportation allows for a maximum single payload of 400 kg. A single trip takes just over 10 minutes, boosting overall efficiency by at least twofold compared to traditional methods.

A heavy-lift drone performs highly efficient lifting and transport operations. Photo by Zhou Wei

Currently, 70% of the line project has been completed. Expected to be commissioned in late May this year, the project will increase the power supply capacity of the Huangshi area to 3.8 million kW, providing crucial support for the summer power supply in eastern Hubei. (By Cao Xiangkui and Ma Chao)