Daniel Edgardo Tió Sudbrack

The exposure of transmission lines in close proximity to coastal or industrial environments to high levels of pollution from chemical substances and salts is a factor that can degrade the performance of electrical systems. Given this scenario, the washing of insulators is an essential measure to mitigate the adverse effects of these pollutants. However, the process is often risky considering that technicians work in close proximity to live equipment. To address this safety concern, a drone-robot for automatic cleaning of insulator chain is proposed. This equipment, adapted with a high-pressure water pump, was designed to perform the task of cleaning insulators on live lines, thus providing a superior level of safety for technical personnel. The drone is equipped with an RGBD camera and an onboard computer, enabling tracking of the target insulator for cleaning using artificial intelligence. The movement of the drone is determined by the generation of setpoints for the flight controller based on this tracking. The results were obtained from experimental tests conducted on high voltage power transmission lines, demonstrating consistent performance in terms of flight stability and cleaning efficiency. These findings provide strong evidence of the operational robustness and practical feasibility of the proposed drone-robot system in high-risk electrical environments.

The inspection and maintenance of transmission systems are necessary for their proper functioning. In this way, among the line’s critical points are the insulator chains, which are responsible for providing insulation between conductors and structures. The accumulation of pollutants on the insulator surface can cause failures in the power system, leading to power supply interruptions. Currently, the cleaning of insulator chains is performed manually by operators who climb towers and use cloths, high-pressure washers, or even helicopters. The use of robots and drones is also under study, presenting challenges to be overcome. This paper presents the development of a drone–robot for cleaning insulator chains. The drone–robot was designed to identify insulators by camera and perform cleaning through a robotic module. This module is attached to the drone and carries a battery-powered portable washer, a reservoir for demineralized water, a depth camera, and an electronic control system. This paper includes a literature review on the state of the art related to strategies used for cleaning insulator chains. Based on this review, the justification for the construction of the proposed system is presented. The methodology used in the development of the drone–robot is then described. The system was validated in a controlled environment and in field experimental tests, with the ensuing discussions and conclusions formulated, along with suggestions for future work.