In southwest China's Yunnan's Xishuangbanna rainforest, heavy-lift drones and helicopters are transporting power equipment for the China-Laos 500 kV interconnection project, while wild Asian elephants roam freely below.

The scene highlights how technology is enabling the coexistence of high-tech development with nature. With the project crossing key elephant habitats, builders adopted an innovative "drone+helicopter" aerial transport system, avoiding road construction and cutting environmental disturbance by over 90 percent.

Tower locations and cable heights were adjusted to keep elephant migration corridors open, with dedicated teams monitoring herds to prevent conflicts. This cross-border project will boost clean power sharing between China and Laos, also showcasing how smart engineering can protect ecosystems while advancing development.