Suspension cable climbing robot with power outage protection functionality

This paper presents the design, development, and experimental validation of a lightweight cable-climbing robot for automated inspection of thin suspension cables (1.5–3 cm diameter) used in bridges, zip lines, and aerial tramways. Traditional manual inspection methods are costly, time-consuming, and pose significant safety risks to workers. To address these challenges, the proposed robot employs a six-wheel driven mechanism with a retractable wheel system, enabling active adaptation to varying cable diameters while maintaining stable climbing performance. The robot is equipped with an ESP32-Arduino dual-control system for wireless operation via Bluetooth, an electromagnetic clutch for power-off protection, and a multi-sensor suite including an odometer for precise positioning and a camera-mirror assembly for full 360° visual coverage. Experimental results demonstrate that the robot can climb at stable speeds, accurately locate faults, and transmit real-time video to operators. The system significantly reduces inspection time and cost while improving safety and operational efficiency. Further improvements in descent control and autonomy are identified for future work.