Drones and helicopters string 9,000 km of conductor across Australia's HumeLink project

Aerial stringing is now under way across Australia's HumeLink transmission project, where helicopters and Australian-developed drones are being used to install more than 9,000 km of high-voltage conductor across more than 820 transmission towers.

The work forms part of the 365 km HumeLink project between Wagga Wagga and Maragle in the Riverina and Bannaby in the Southern Tablelands. The new 500 kV transmission infrastructure is being built to strengthen the electricity network and connect major generation and storage assets, including Snowy 2.0, to the grid.

Rather than relying entirely on traditional ground-based stringing methods, which can require tractors, bulldozers and other heavy equipment to move draw wire between towers, much of the work is being carried out from the air. Pilots guide lightweight draw wires through pulley blocks attached to the towers, after which the permanent conductor is pulled into position.

The operation requires extremely precise control. Helicopter pilots work in continuous coordination with ground crews, positioning the draw wire within the pulley system while maintaining safe clearances around towers and surrounding terrain. The method can significantly reduce the amount of equipment moving along access tracks and private properties, which in turn limits ground disturbance and disruption along the transmission corridor.

Drones are being used particularly extensively on HumeLink West, where four systems are installing the complete draw-wire package across approximately 140 km. The technology relies on onboard cameras and telemetry, allowing pilots and ground teams to coordinate the operation while keeping much of the installation activity above the corridor rather than through it.

The drone systems have also been designed to operate across a wide range of site conditions, including winds exceeding 50 km/h and temperatures ranging from below 0 degrees C to above 50 degrees C. This flexibility can help maintain progress where conventional aerial or ground operations might otherwise be restricted by weather or terrain.

Construction of HumeLink has now reached a substantial scale. Around 1,800 personnel are working across multiple sites and more than 200 transmission towers have already been erected. Major electrical equipment, including transformers and reactors, is also arriving at the project's substation sites.

HumeLink West includes more than 360 new transmission towers, two new substations at Maragle and Gugaa and upgrades to the existing Wagga Wagga Substation. On the eastern section, tower erection is also progressing, with 160 of the planned 459 towers expected to be in place by the end of October 2026.

The use of aerial stringing is becoming an increasingly important part of the project's construction strategy. By reducing the need to move heavy plant continuously along the route, the method can shorten installation times while limiting disturbance to roads, farmland and environmentally sensitive areas.

With tower erection, substation works and conductor installation now progressing in parallel, HumeLink is moving deeper into its main construction phase. Completion of the transmission project is targeted for late 2027.