Semi-autonomous mobile robot coupled to a drone for debris removal from high-voltage power lines

Abstract

The importance of electrical energy in human life has grown considerably, resulting in a great surge in demand for this energy form. As a consequence, numerous power transmission lines are continuously under construction. Periodic inspections and maintenance of equipment and accessories associated with these lines are crucial to ensuring their proper functioning. Thus, this paper introduces a novel mobile robot designed to remove debris from high-voltage power lines up to 138 kV. This robot offers several advantages, including reduced costs related to maintenance operations that require specialized human labor, increased task efficiency, and reduced risks to human physical integrity by eliminating the need for manual tasks in direct contact with high-voltage lines. This paper outlines the development and validation of a novel robot that can be integrated with a drone for transportation, bringing an innovation to the format for carrying out maintenance in the electric power distribution system. After reviewing robots applied to debris removal, our study presents the novel robot's design and control system. The robot was developed and tested in both simulated and real environments, proving to be efficient and cost-effective in improving debris removal from high-voltage lines while ensuring linemen's safety.