Empowering State Grid with Aerial Efficiency and Safety
The State Grid Corporation of China has integrated MMC heavy-lift drones into its power transmission line construction projects, transforming one of the most labor-intensive and hazardous operations — conductor stringing — into a safer, faster, and more intelligent process. Leveraging MMC’s mature UAV technology and automated mission control system, aerial cable pulling tasks that once required large ground crews and complex terrain coordination can now be completed efficiently with minimal manpower.
Background
Power transmission construction often takes place in mountainous or hard-to-reach areas, where manual cable pulling is slow, risky, and limited by terrain. Traditional methods require multiple workers carrying guide ropes through valleys or forests, often under extreme weather conditions. To solve these long-standing issues, State Grid partnered with MMC to deploy a drone-based cable stringing system capable of lifting and pulling pilot wires across obstacles with precision.
Challenges
- Mountainous terrain and steep slopes make ground access difficult.
- Manual stringing is slow and poses safety risks for field workers.
- Heavy pilot wires require high payload capacity and stable flight performance.
- Strong electromagnetic interference around transmission corridors.
The MMC Solution
MMC provided a complete heavy-lift drone solution featuring the Skylle Ⅱ platform — a high-end industrial UAV equipped with intelligent flight control, high payload capacity, and long endurance. The system supports automatic waypoint flight, precision hover, and remote monitoring, ensuring accurate delivery of the pilot wire even in complex topographies.
System Components
- Skylle Ⅱ Heavy-Lift Drone: Payload up to 15kg, flight endurance up to 60 minutes, optimized for cable pulling and logistics missions.
- Ground Control Station (GCS): Multi-drone coordination, mission planning, and real-time telemetry visualization.
- High-Definition Video Transmission: Dual-channel link for FPV and telemetry, ensuring stable operation over long distances.
- Smart Cable-Release System: Electric or servo-controlled mechanism for safe and precise cable deployment.
Key Benefits
- Safety First: Eliminates high-altitude and manual stringing risks.
- High Efficiency: Each flight replaces hours of manual work and multiple ground crews.
- Terrain Adaptability: Easily operates in mountains, forests, and across rivers or valleys.
- Reduced Costs: Decreases labor, machinery, and time expenses by up to 70%.
- Reliable Performance: Proven stability and anti-interference capability in high-voltage environments.
Results & Impact
By adopting MMC’s drone-based stringing solution, the State Grid successfully completed multiple transmission line projects across complex terrains. Average work efficiency improved by more than 60%, and safety incidents dropped to nearly zero. The project demonstrates how heavy-lift UAV technology can redefine modern infrastructure construction, setting a new benchmark for the low-altitude economy in utility industries.
Extended Applications
- Power grid inspection and thermal imaging monitoring
- Tower component transportation and logistics
- Emergency cable delivery in disaster relief
- Surveying and 3D terrain mapping
About MMC
With over a decade of expertise in industrial drone innovation, MicroMultiCopter (MMC) provides professional UAV systems for energy, infrastructure, and emergency applications worldwide. From heavy-lift logistics to smart inspection, MMC continues to lead the global UAV industry with reliability, automation, and innovation.
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