Columbia River Powerline Project
- Date: October 2022
- Client: Magnum Power
- Project Type: Powerline Construction
About This Project
In October of 2022, we assisted Magnum Power in their powerline construction project on the Columbia River. The project, located in Wenatchee, Washington involved adding two new sections of lines to already existing lines. Our task was to string rope across a section of the river that would be used to pull the lines across later. In a usual situation, the powerline company would contract a helicopter to have them fly the lines across. But by using the drone, we were able to complete this same process saving on both cost and time.
Photos from the Project
This project didn’t come without challenges though. Flying over the Columbia River was a daunting task when considering the drone would be flying over a large river with strong currents. We were also flying over existing transmission lines that were set up next to where the new lines needed to go.
To decrease drag in the water, we strung the rope across the river with it completely suspended in the air. We flew from one utility pole to the other utility pole located across the river. We used this method for both of the 1,800 foot sections. After each section was strung, they tightlined the rope across to prepare it for pulling the electricity lines across.
You can see a full video of us flying both sections down below!