A Grasping-Climbing Mechanism for Pruning Tree-Branches Using a Multirotor Helicopter

抄録

In this paper, we propose a grasping and climbing mechanism for pruning tree-branches close to electrical power lines. By means of a multirotor helicopter, the mechanism is placed on it and deployed to the target, namely, a tree-branch and, by using a couple of claw-like grippers, it is firmly grabbed. In order to prune a specific point of the tree-branch, the grasping-climbing mechanism has the ability to move along it thanks to an extra couple of grippers which perform the walking task along the target. The proposed climbing-grasping CAD mechanism is presented along with some kinematic analysis of the performance of this mechanism.