In life, there are still a lot of jobs that put human safety at risk; for instance, the inspection and maintenance of high-voltage power lines. The installation of bird diverters and spacers on high-voltage power lines is currently still carried out by humans and is life-threatening work. This is why the University of Twente’s Robotics and Mechatronics group is developing drones to take over these dangerous tasks in order to make the jobs of human technicians safer.
Human-robot interaction
The University of Twente is co-operating with nine partners in the European AERIAL-CORE project to develop an innovative platform for robots that can carry out inspection and maintenance work at great heights, for example on high-voltage power lines or wind turbines. Research at the University of Twente focuses primarily on improving the co-operation between drones and their human operators. The robots must physically interact with humans at great heights, whereby safety, ergonomics and optimal performance of the tasks are essential to the co-operation.
Unique robot skills
Dr Antonio Franchi, a well-known name in the field of international aerial robotics, is a work package co-ordinator in the AERIAL-CORE project on behalf of the University of Twente. “In this project, we are focussing on new robotic technologies for the inspection and maintenance of large-scale infrastructure,” explains Franchi. “The drones are programmed with skills that are unique in the world for this type of robot. They can inspect infrastructure over long distances, but also carry out very precise and localised maintenance. In the future, human technicians will be able to leave dangerous maintenance tasks up to these drones and co-ordinate the work from the ground. The drones have robotic arms that can exert sufficient force while hovering in the air. Therefore, human-robot interaction is an important part of the project.”
Drones will do the risky tasks
These drones are being developed for purposes including the installation of bird diverters and spacers, both on high-voltage power lines. Currently, people still install these diverters and spacers, which is a risky job. The AERIAL-CORE project involves the use of "aerial co-workers," which are drones collaborating with technicians to undertake hazardous tasks and carry out work in a more secure manner.
Equipped with end effectors (or end-of-arm tooling) and visual sensors, the drone's robotic arms can be operated remotely from the ground, providing immediate feedback. This feature proves to be advantageous, for instance in tasks such as checking the voltage of powerlines. Additionally, the sensors have the capability to detect human movements and gestures in real-time. This feature enables the drone to identify human operator actions and prevent any potential risks. For instance, the drone can provide accurate instructions to the operator regarding the positioning of bird diverters.
