A framework for power line inspection tasks with multi-robot systems from signal temporal logic specifications

TL;DR

This paper presents a method for planning safe, complex inspection trajectories for multiple quad-rotor robots using Signal Temporal Logic, enhancing automation in power line maintenance.

Contribution

It introduces a novel trajectory planning framework that incorporates STL specifications for multi-robot power line inspection tasks, ensuring safety and mission compliance.

Findings

Simulations demonstrate effective trajectory planning with STL constraints.

The approach enables complex, obstacle-avoiding inspection missions.

Framework supports extension to real hardware tests.

Abstract

Inspection of power line infrastructures must be periodically conducted by electric companies in order to ensure reliable electric power distribution. Research efforts are focused on automating the power line inspection process by looking for strategies that satisfy different requirements expressed in terms of potential damage and faults detection. This problem comes up with the need of safe planning and control techniques for autonomous robots to perform visual inspection tasks. Such an application becomes even more interesting and of critical importance when considering a multi-robot extension. In this paper, we propose to compute feasible and constrained trajectories for a fleet of quad-rotors leveraging on Signal Temporal Logic (STL) specifications. The planner allows to formulate rather complex missions avoiding obstacles and forbidden areas along the path. Simulations results achieved in MATLAB show the effectiveness of the proposed approach leading the way to experimental tests on the hardware.