Infravision recently announced the deployment of its drone stringing technology on Entergy’s Amite South Reliability Project in Louisiana. Working alongside Utility Lines Construction Services (ULCS), Infravision is helping install pulling lines across challenging terrain while freeing up construction crews and equipment for other work.

Entergy’s Amite South Reliability Project includes constructing new 230 kV and 500 kV transmission lines from Plaquemine, Louisiana, to Westwego, Louisiana, crossing more than 150 miles of rural farmland and marshland. Once energized, these lines will improve power flows across the region, enhance reliability and resiliency for customers in the Greater New Orleans area, and support growing industrial and commercial development on the west bank of the Mississippi River.

ULCS is incorporating Infravision’s drone stringing system into its construction operations. The drone installs an initial pulling line through blocks mounted on transmission structures. Construction crews then use that line to pull the subsequent lines and conductor through.

The approach reduces work at height and the need to position crews and equipment at individual structures for initial line installation, particularly in areas with limited ground access. It also lets Infravision’s drone team work outside the critical path of construction, freeing up ULCS crews to advance other activities.

“Safety innovation is about finding ways to perform high-risk tasks while reducing employee exposure. Our partnership with Infravision allows us to leverage technology that improves safety while enhancing operational efficiency,” said Brett Crochet, director of safety operations for ULCS.

In field interviews, Entergy construction supervisors reported that drone installation cut rope installation time by about 75% on some sections, from about seven days to a day and a half. They also highlighted the reduced exposure for crews and the public at highway and bayou crossings.

“This is the first time we’ve integrated this technology into our transmission construction work, and it has meaningfully improved how we install lead lines and navigate challenging terrain,” said Chris Gremillion, Entergy vice president of project delivery for capital projects. “It allows our crews to work more safely and efficiently, and it’s rewarding to see long‑standing challenges addressed through practical innovation.”

The Amite South Reliability Project is Infravision’s largest U.S. project to date. The ongoing deployment offers an opportunity to demonstrate drone stringing as a routine part of major transmission line construction, with repeated use across successive line sections.

“On a project of this scale, the technology has to deliver day after day and fit the way construction crews work,” said Matt Jones, chief commercial officer of Infravision. “At Amite South, we’re working alongside ULCS to get pulling lines in place while their crews advance other construction activities. That’s the opportunity we see across the U.S.: helping utilities and contractors build more transmission with the skilled crews and resources they have. We’re proud to be putting that approach to work with Entergy and ULCS.”