Gandhinagar - Two undergraduate students from The Department of Mechanical Engineering at IIT Gandhinagar have designed and built robot capable of crawling directly along high voltage power lines to inspect faults and overeating, offering a safer and more affordable alternative to manual inspections and drone based methods.
The project began as a course assignment and evolved into a practical solution for one of India's critical infrastructure challenges. The students identified tgat a significant share of power losses and grid failure are linked to ageing and faculty transmission lines prompting them to rethink traditional inspection method.
Instead of relying on drones or human climbers, the team designed a robot that uses the power line itself as a pathway. Equipped with a thermal camera and a visual camera, the robot can detect hotspot material degradation and damage caused by the resistance and wear overtime.
Two overcome obstacles such as insulators, junctions and support structures, the students developed a special mechanism to allow the robots to disengage, bypass obstruction and re-engage with the line. They also created the suspension and damping system to maintain stability on swaying cables and reduce a vibrations in real world conditions.
The prototype was developed at IITGN’s Tinkerers’ Lab with faculty mentorship. The team credits Associate Professor Dr. Madhu Vadali for guiding them through the design, testing and iterative improvement process over nearly 18 months.
According to the team, while industrial drones used for power line inspection can cost between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 60 lakh, their prototype was developed for around Rs 15,000, with an estimated market-ready cost of Rs 3–4 lakh. The project has received funding support under CSR initiatives, including support from Infineon Technologies India and Hyundai Motor Group
The innovation highlights how students-lead innovation, backed by institutional support, can translate classroom ideas into practical solutions for national infrastructure and workers safety.
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