Design of mechatronic system to inspect power transmission lines and towers

The inspection of power transmission line is currently carried out by a group of technicians that use gondolas, off-road vehicles or helicopters and airplanes to perform the task. Unfortunately, in most cases defects are rarely recognized in the early stages because of inadequate inspection. Based on this difficulty and taking into account that a new inspection system should attend requirements such as safety, cost, accuracy, autonomy, and the ability of negotiating obstacles along its path, we developed a mechatronic feasibility study of six different proposals. This paper presents the design concepts and the mechanisms used. Outlooks on the subject are also addressed. The design methodologies and tools applied during the feasibility study are underlined. The feasibility study was promising and the project is in progress