{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T05:05:37Z","timestamp":1787029537003,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":25,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,13]],"date-time":"2023-06-13T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1686614400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Centrais El\u00e9tricas de Santa Catarina","award":["05697-0518\/2018"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["05697-0518\/2018"]}]},{"name":"Centrais El\u00e9tricas de Santa Catarina","award":["03511\/2021-4"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["03511\/2021-4"]}]},{"name":"Centrais El\u00e9tricas de Santa Catarina","award":["001"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["001"]}]},{"name":"Ag\u00eancia Nacional de Energia El\u00e9trica (ANEEL), and in part by CNPq","award":["05697-0518\/2018"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["05697-0518\/2018"]}]},{"name":"Ag\u00eancia Nacional de Energia El\u00e9trica (ANEEL), and in part by CNPq","award":["03511\/2021-4"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["03511\/2021-4"]}]},{"name":"Ag\u00eancia Nacional de Energia El\u00e9trica (ANEEL), and in part by CNPq","award":["001"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["001"]}]},{"name":"CAPES","award":["05697-0518\/2018"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["05697-0518\/2018"]}]},{"name":"CAPES","award":["03511\/2021-4"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["03511\/2021-4"]}]},{"name":"CAPES","award":["001"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["001"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Sensors"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The inspection and maintenance of transmission systems are necessary for their proper functioning. In this way, among the line\u2019s 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\u2013robot for cleaning insulator chains. The drone\u2013robot 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\u2013robot 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.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/s23125529","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,13]],"date-time":"2023-06-13T02:00:45Z","timestamp":1686621645000},"page":"5529","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":12,"title":["Drone\u2013Robot to Clean Power Line Insulators"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"23","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1378-0363","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rog\u00e9rio Sales","family":"Gon\u00e7alves","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Uberl\u00e2ndia, Uberl\u00e2ndia 38.400-902, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Murilo","family":"De Oliveira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Uberl\u00e2ndia, Uberl\u00e2ndia 38.400-902, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Murilo","family":"Rocioli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Uberl\u00e2ndia, Uberl\u00e2ndia 38.400-902, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Frederico","family":"Souza","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Uberl\u00e2ndia, Uberl\u00e2ndia 38.400-902, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Carlos","family":"Gallo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Uberl\u00e2ndia, Uberl\u00e2ndia 38.400-902, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Daniel","family":"Sudbrack","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CELESC, Florian\u00f3polis 88.034-900, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Paulo","family":"Trautmann","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CELESC, Florian\u00f3polis 88.034-900, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Bruno","family":"Clasen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CELESC, Florian\u00f3polis 88.034-900, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-3465-4172","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rafael","family":"Homma","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CELESC, Florian\u00f3polis 88.034-900, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,13]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"29","article-title":"Various Pollutions of Power Line Insulators","volume":"6","author":"Hadipour","year":"2017","journal-title":"Majlesi J. 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