Power lines inspection via RGB, thermal and infrared imaging

Image processing, applied to visible and infrared thermal data, is used to detect faults and anomalies in power transmission lines. Recently, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, equipped with infrared or visible cameras, are used in urban or rural areas to acquire data, useful to comprehensively inspect the status of the infrastructure. This paper provides a concise review about vision-based algorithms used for the inspection of electric power lines, with a specific focus on methods and technologies which are suitable to be implemented in a UAV-based monitoring system of infrastructure for the transmission and distribution of the electric power.