Power Line Following Based on Measurements of the Magnetic Field

In this paper, we present a method to control the UAV to follow the power line with a specific position and orientation based only on the measurement of the magnetic field generated by the current flow in the power line. In this way, it is possible to localize the UAV with respect to the power line without the need for additional sensors, even in poor visibility conditions. The measurements from four magnetometers attached to the UAV are used to solve an optimization problem that involves determining the relative pose of the UAV with respect to the power line. Based on the relative pose, the UAV is controlled to follow the power line in a predefined position and orientation. Experiments in a test setup have confirmed that the method is applicable in a realistic environment.