A Mobile Robot for Inspection of Power Transmission Lines

The development of a mobile robot that can navigate overhead power transmission lines completely unattended by a human operator is described. Its ultimate purpose is to automate the inspection of power transmission line equipment. The authors have assembled a full-scale functional model of such a mobile robot. Mechanical function testing of the robot has been performed, and results are reported. The robot navigates a ground wire that is located above the actual power transmission lines. It can maneuver over obstructions created by subsidiary equipment on the ground wire such as weights that prevent the wire from twisting and swinging. It is also equipped with an arc-shaped arm that acts as a guide rail and allows it to negotiate transmission towers. When the robot encounters a tower, it unfolds the arc-shaped arm and attaches it to the ground wire on opposite sides of the tower. It then travels along the arm to pass around to the other side of the tower. Once it is firmly affixed to the wire on the other side of the tower it detaches the arm and folds it up until it is needed again. >