Research on an automatic cable-guiding device for primary guide rope release in unmanned aerial vehicle deployment

Abstract

In order to solve the safety hazards and low operational efficiency in the process of installation of the 500 kV power transmission project in the mountainous area of Liaoning, this study has developed a self-driving cable mechanism carried by unmanned aerial vehicles. The mechanism is specially designed for a 4 mm Dyneema guide cable, weighing 4.8 kg. It adopts a Q235 structural steel frame and a high-torque 24 V linear actuator, which can replace high-risk manual tower climbing operations under extreme low temperatures as low as -15℃. The finite element analysis of the multi-scale grid division strategy was used to verify the structural integrity of the mechanism. Under the 300 N design load, the peak deformation of the frame was only 0.072 mm. The on-site test conducted near Shenyang in October 2025 showed that the mechanism could stably complete the pulley insertion in 12–30 seconds even under the condition of Pufu wind level 6. By integrating the dual-core redundancy control system and the 3.2 A current-limiting "maintenance mode", the system increases the deployment efficiency by five times and effectively avoids the risk of personnel operating in the high-altitude falling area. This research provides a scalable and reliable technical template for the construction automation of ultra-high voltage transmission lines.