A tower and line tracking algorithm for power transmission line inspection based on unmanned aerial vehicles

作者：Lü, Ming^*; Sheng, Gehao; Zhang, Weidong; Liu, Yadong; Jiang, Xiuchen

来源：Automation of Electric Power Systems, 2012, 36(9): 92-97.

DOI：10.3969/j.issn.1000-1026.2012.09.017

• Geographical coordinates
• High voltage towers
• Line tracking algorithms
• Power transmission line inspection systems
• Thermal infrared imager
• Tower tracking algorithms
• Tracking algorithm
• Tracking process

A system for inspecting power transmission lines based on unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is developed, and equipments such as visible light camera, thermal infrared imager and ultraviolet imager are applied to comprehensively detect the defects of power transmission lines, high-voltage towers and insulators. This paper proposes a tracking algorithm of transmission lines and towers. On condition that GPS information of UAV location and towers is given, the ideal camera shooting angle for power transmission lines and towers is calculated by geographical coordinate system transformation as well as fast distance calculating algorithm using GPS. Then the control angle can be adjusted automatically to realize the tracking process. Meanwhile, requirements for accuracy of GPS positioning are discussed, and the feasibility of this algorithm is proved by tests.

• 出版日期2012
• 单位上海交通大学