Realizing autonomous inspection, such as that of power distribution lines, through unmanned
aerial vehicle (UAV) systems is a key research domain in robotics. In particular, the use of autonomous
and semi-autonomous vehicles to execute the tasks of an inspection process can enhance the efficacy
and safety of the operation; however, many technical problems, such as those pertaining to the precise
positioning and path following of the vehicles, robust obstacle detection, and intelligent control, must be
addressed. In this study, an innovative architecture involving an unmanned aircraft vehicle (UAV) and an
unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) was examined for detailed inspections of power lines. In the proposed
strategy, each vehicle provides its position information to the other, which ensures a safe inspection
process. The results of real-world experiments indicate a satisfactory performance, thereby demonstrating
the feasibility of the proposed approach.
This research was funded by National Counsel of Technological and Scientific Development of Brazil (CNPq).
The authors thank the National Counsel of Technological and Scientific Development of Brazil
(CNPq); Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Level People (CAPES); and the Brazilian Ministry of Science,
Technology, Innovation, and Communication (MCTIC). The authors would also like express their deepest gratitude
to Control Robotics for sharing the Pioneer P3 robot for the experiments. Thanks to Leticia Cantieri for editing the
experiment video.
