An Inspection Robot for Live-Line Suspension Insulator Strings in 345-kV Power Lines

A new inspection robot system for live-line suspension insulator strings was developed to prevent an insulator failure in 345-kV power transmission lines. Compared with the existing inspection robots, this robot structure is very simple, small-sized, lightweight, and more superior in insulation by adopting a wheel-leg moving mechanism. In addition, the robot measures the distribution voltage of an insulator together with its insulation resistance, thereby providing more information for its analysis and diagnosis. Moreover, a manual tool for its installation and removal is presented. Its effectiveness was confirmed through experiments, including a live-line test.