LineScout Power Line Robot: Characterization of a UTM-30LX LIDAR System for Obstacle Detection

This paper presents the characterization of the Hokuyo UTM-30LX laser range finder applied to obstacle detection on power line conductors. First, an overview section defines requirements and explains why the UTM-30LX was selected for this application. Next, since there is no published characterization of this particular sensor's performance, a comprehensive set of experiments is described, both general tests and ones specific to the novel problem of scanning a power line conductor to detect where obstructions are present. It is then explained how the LIDAR can be mounted on the LineScout power line robot and what algorithm is used to detect obstacles ahead. Basic results obtained on a full-scale power line mock-up clearly demonstrate the potential of the approach.