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GC-RDCT-2022 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 1272 (2022) 012016 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/1272/1/012016

Pipe inspection robots: a review

*Binil John1 and Shafeek M2

1
Department of Electronics and Communications, College of Engineering
Trivandrum, Kerala, India ,2 Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of
Engineering Trivandrum, Kerala, India, * biniljohn0198@gmail.com
Abstract. Pipelines are one of the safe and most economical ways of transporting fluid matters
in industries and households. These pipelines get deteriorated due to aging, internal and external
corrosion, and so on. This may cause fluid leakages and may contaminate the environment. So,
pipelines are inspected regularly to maintain proper functioning and cost-effectiveness. In-pipe
inspection robots (IPIR) that move inside pipelines are widely used to carry out inspection
operations. IPIR along with visual and other r non-destructive tests (NDT) are proven to be useful
compared to manual inspection. Wheel-driven robots, track-driven robots, wall-press robots,
pipe inspection gauge (PIG) robots, and many other bio-inspired designs are available. The
design parameters and specializations of each type of robot will be presented in this article.
Because each robot is created with different factors in mind, such as pipeline diameter, mobility,
adaptability, working conditions, and so on, these robots are unique and have different
constraints. These topics will be covered in depth in this article, and will ultimately aid in the
selection of certain robots based on specific criteria. New design strategies in the pipe inspection
industry that have yet to be explored will also be covered in depth.

1.Introduction
Pipelines are one of the most commonly used economical way of transporting gas and liquids like oil,
water, sewage etc. Pipelines are constantly aging and sustaining damages; thus, it is important to
periodically inspect to prevent or cure the damages. Faulty pipelines can cause environmental damage
and financial loss to the owner. The pipelines usually have long and complicated structures and mostly
they are buried underground, thus it is difficult to inspect the pipelines manually. Pipe inspection robots
are the most economical and reliable method of inspecting the pipelines. The increase in pipelines is
also pointing to the fact that using the robots are more suitable. Robots are designed considering various
factors like maneuverability, stability, adaptability to various pipeline diameters.
Pipeline inspection robots reduces the human intervention, can work in hazards environments
and can perform inspection in parts which are inaccessible to the humans. Robots made the inspection

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IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 1272 (2022) 012016 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/1272/1/012016

work much simpler, safe and economical. A large number of research work is published in this field,
now also it is a concerned field of research. Many different mechanisms were introduced into this field,
we will go over the advantages and disadvantages of each design in detail in this paper. Each robot is
created by taking into account a variety of factors such as pipe diameter, size, shape, and
maneuverability.

2. Pipe Inspection Robot: Classification

Out-pipe inspection robots and in-pipe inspection robots are the two primary types of pipe inspection
robots. The out-pipe inspection robot (OPIR) moves over the pipeline's outer surface, gripping onto the
pipe with some mechanism. While the in-pipe inspection robot (IPIR) goes through the inside of the
pipe lines and performs the essential inspection work, they are extremely useful in checking
underground and underwater pipelines.

Figure.1. Classification of In-pipe Inspection Robots

2.1 Wheel Driven Pipe Inspection Robot

Wheel-driven pipe inspection robots are one of the most researched types of inspection robots, with a
variety of wheel-based designs available. As indicated in Figure 1, there are two types of robots: simple
structure robots and wall-press robots. Wheels powered by actuators/gearmotors help the robot move.
The majority of wheeled robots use a variety of devices to maintain contact with the surface. Simple
structured wheel driven robots look like regular wheeled robots and are mostly used for horizontal pipe
inspection. It doesn't have any additional links to keep in contact with the inner surface of the vertical
pipelines since it doesn't have any.
Gunatilake et al. [1] have used 6 wheeled simple structured sewage inspection robots (fig.2.a)
where the robot is attached with a stereo camera vision combined with infrared laser profiling unit and
have successfully tested in buried water pipes in Sydney, Australia Another form of inspection robot is
the wall press type, which has wheel modules positioned at an angle and is always in touch with the
inner surface of pipe lines. The number of wheel modules on this sort of pipe inspection robot can range
from two to six (as shown in figure .3).

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IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 1272 (2022) 012016 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/1272/1/012016

Kwon et al. [3] presented a wheel-driven robot with two 180-degree-apart wheel modules. Only
these two components are used to control the steering and driving modes. Each wheel contains two
motors, one for driving and the other for steering. a flat wheel-type robot that can drive and steer with
only two-wheel chains When compared to a three-wheel train, one of the key advantages of this robot
is its manoeuvrability. More space for sensor equipment was also noted as a plus. It contains three
CMOS cameras: one in the front and two on each side (figure 2.b).

Fig.2. (a) Simple structured wheel driven pipe inspection robot [1] ,(b)Wall press wheel driven pipe
inspection robot with wheel modules arranged at 180 degrees with each other.

Fig.3 Different wheel module arrangements.

The MRINSPECT (Multifunctional Robotic crawler for INpipe inSPECTion) inspection
robots are a series of wheel driven walpress type pipe inspection robots which has introduced a series
of advancements in the wallpress type robots [2] [3] [4] [5]. S. G Roh et al [2] proposed wheel driven
wall pess type robots MRINSPECT III and IV for the inspection of urban gas pipelines. It can pass
throughhorizontal as well as vertical pipe lines and it can travel along the reducers elbows. It’s three
dimensional steering capability provides outstanding mobilityu along the pipelines. The MRINSPECT
III is made up of two portions connected by a steering device called a Double Active Universal Joint.
Each segment has three wheel modules that are 120 degrees apart and are positioned circumferentially
around the body. Each wheel segment has a pantograph mechanism with a sliding base. This wheel
module can adjust to tiny differences in pipe diameters. The rear wheel portion receives the driving
force, while the front wheel segment is only used to guide the motion.

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IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 1272 (2022) 012016 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/1272/1/012016

For urban gas pipes with a nominal diameter of 4 in internal diameter, the MRINSPECT IV [5]
design is proposed. Body frame, driving module, and charge-coupled device (CCD) assembly are the
three primary components. The three driving modules are circumferentially linked at 120 degrees apart,
and the wheel modules' expansion and retraction are regulated by a spring. Mathematical expressions
are used to discuss strategies for navigating through elbows and branches.
The MRINSPECT VI [6] is a wall press type inspection robot with wheels that can pass through
pipelines with an inner diameter of 150 mm. A multi-axial differential gear mechanism is used, which
is powered by a single motor. It can adjust to different diameters; nevertheless, the key improvement in
this model over the previous model is the ability to mechanically modulate the velocities of the active
wheels without exerting any control effort. Three active and three passive wheels are included. When it
comes to MRINSPECT VII [7], the design has been upgraded into a robot that can pass through pipe
lines with sizes ranging from 150 to 200 mm. They converted the wheel expansion and retraction into a
radial movement, which improved the robot's stability. It is equipped with a rescue mechanism that
allows the robot to be retrieved in any situation. A 2-2D differential gear system is used by the robot to
mechanically control the velocity of each active wheel individually. A separate BLDC motor controls
the expansion and retraction of the wheels.

2.2 Tracked/ Caterpillar Type Pipe Inspection Robot

For mobility in the pipe inlets, the robots employ tracks instead of wheels. Tracks increase the amount
of surface area in contact with the pipe inlet, increasing traction and stability. More body weight and
heavy equipment can be supported by tracked robots. Slow speed and mobility are also shortcomings of
the robots. There are two types of tracked robots: simple structured and wall-press type.
Zhao et al [8] discuss a long-distance pipeline inspection robot mechanism. The robot features
three crawlers and electric putters, each with its own speed and radius control. They confirmed that the
robot locomotion in a huge pipe is stable. The robot is designed to inspect pipelines with interior
diameters ranging from 950 to 1200 mm. Many sensors are built into the robot. Pressure sensors are
mounted to the crawlers to evaluate the traction and encoder sensors are utilized to acquire the robot's
actual speed.

Fig.4. (a) Large in-pipe Robot prototype with three-wheel train, (b) FAMPER: A Fully Autonomous
Mobile Robot for Pipeline Exploration, [6], (c) Oil pipeline inspection robot [7]
Kim et al [9] created FAMPER, a completely autonomous robot with four-wheel modules that
are 90 degrees apart. The Wheel modules can adjust to different internal pipe diameters, and the track

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IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 1272 (2022) 012016 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/1272/1/012016

can tilt to overcome obstacles. To achieve maximum traction, the robot's diameter can range from 127
mm to 157 mm. The robot can travel through horizontal and vertical pipes, as well as U and T junctions.
Dae-Won Kim and colleagues [11] The active pipe inspection robot proposed, in this work
employs a DC motor to regulate the wall-pressing force. It was designed for long-distance inspection of
seawater pipes, such as horizontal and slope linear pipelines, with enormous variable diameters ranging
from 600mm to 800mm. Its mechanical architecture is divided into two modules: drive and control.
Three pantograph type links spaced at 120° with three caterpillar track wheels make up the driving
module. This design allows for pipe diameter adaption as well as adjustment of the wall-pressing force.
Abidin et al. [12] developed the D 300 wall press pipe inspection robot for checking 300 mm
inside diameter sewage pipe lines (fig 5). The robot's design is based on a wall-pressed caterpillar that
may be used for both horizontal and vertical pipelines, as well as elbows. For travelling in the pipeline's
corner, this robot is equipped with ultrasonic sensors, a high-performance microprocessor board, and a
powerful geared motor. The IPR-D300 is made up of three separate drive modules that can change the
speed depending on the pipeline characteristics.

Fig. 5. Conceptual design of IPR-D300

2.3 Inchworm Type Pipe Inspection Robot

IPIR is a bio inspired robot, and the worm-type robot is one of them. Their movement resembles that of
an earthworm. Repetitive contraction and expansion actions propel the robot forward. These have slower
driving speeds and generate a lot of friction force while moving.
Chablat et al [13] have developed a pipe inspection robot that mimics the movement of a
caterpillar inside pipe lines. The mechanism is divided into three sections: one for motion and two for
legs attached to the pipe's inner part. Three legs with slot follower mechanisms assist the robot in
mimicking caterpillar motion. The static method has been discussed, and the relationship between the
contact force between the pipe and the legs has been determined using the Wrench equation and the
coulombs law of friction. However, the study made no mention of robot joint mobility.
Hayashi et al. [14] developed a robot that employs fluidic flexible actuators that are Extension
type flexible pneumatic actuators (EFPAs). The new ring-shaped tube given at the ends nodes has
increased the holding mechanism (it can create 160 N clamp force). To reduce volume change when
expanding, the enhanced holding mechanism is built similarly to an automotive tyre wheel. Pipe
inspection robots with dual pipe holding mechanisms have been developed for pipe diameters of 75 and

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IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 1272 (2022) 012016 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/1272/1/012016

50 mm. The robot uses three EFPA units (fig. 6.a) to achieve steering in six directions. Electric leakage
and short circuit are no longer issues with this new design. The outcomes of this robot's experiments
demonstrate that it can manipulate through complex formations without getting stuck.

Fig.6. (a) Sliding/bending mechanism using three FFPAs, (b) Inner construction of thinner type
sliding/bending mechanism [8].
Takagi et al. [15] offer a prototype design for a mobile inchworm robot for use in tight locations
that incorporates DN (Double network hydrogel) gel on the inchworm robot's foot to improve friction
qualities. Electric current is applied to the DN gel. Controlling the friction properties is possible. By
moving the gel arear one by one, the robot was able to create its repeating peristaltic motion. Two DC
gear motors and ball screws are used as guides for the gel pad on the robot. The prototype took 40
seconds to complete a single step with a stroke distance of 28.4 mm. Although the DN gel activation
requires a conducting surface (cathode rail). The prototype shows less velocity characteristics and
flexibility which is aimed to overcome in the next advancements.

2.4 Pipe Inspection Gauge (PIG) Robot

Pipe Inspection Gauge (PIG) Type robots are a popular type of pipeline inspection robot. It was used in
oil and gas industries mainly. The movement of the robot is controlled using the fluid velocity and other
means. The one disadvantage of this type of model is that it is designed and suitable for only one
particular diameter. The robot consists of a number of sensors attached in order to check for the cracks
and other anomalies. Since these robots are wireless a battery module is provided in the robot, and the
inspection results are checked only after receiving the PIG robot. The PIG robot will be entering and
leaving the pipes through the set points. Navigation of the PIG robot is difficult hence it is not used in
complex structures.
Nguyen et al [9], In this paper they have done the dynamic design and analysis of PIG type
robot for 90 degree bent pipes. They have considered the 90-degree bent as 3 sections and the dynamic
model is derived by using Lagrange equation. They have solved both the downstream and upstream
considerations, and the efficiency of the derived models were tested using simulations and found to be
effective.
Mishra et al [10], proposed a PIG pipeline inspection robot which is able to move autonomously
for cross country crude oil pipe lines. Inside the robot there is a power source to power the sensors
inside. And no power is given to the motion of the inspection robot, it is important to control the speed
of the robot in side the pipeline to avoid damage to the equipment. They have used a kinematic model
to estimate the robot position inside the pipeline.

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IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 1272 (2022) 012016 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/1272/1/012016

Fig.7. Pipe Inspection Gauge (PIG) Robot

2.5 Legged Type Pipe Inspection Robot

The legged type robot is moving through the inner surface of the pipe lines with the help of legs. These
legs will be having high degree of freedom and it can move through the pipeline avoiding the obstacles.
Thus, it is more commonly used in sewage pipelines, and it is able to provide better steering
characteristics. Even though each leg of the legged robot will be requiring more than one actuator and
in turn the overall system is complex. The path planning, path replanning, calibrations etc. are requires
good system controller and equipments. Thus, the inspection using legged robots are costly, but it is
helpful in certain specific cases
Savin et al. [11], they have studied a state observer model for walking pipe inspection robot. The
state observer model with Riccati equation is giving improved characteristics to the controller. They
have used a number of sensors to obtain good results from the robot. Their test results are showing good
results compared with the previous models
Savin et al [12], designed a six-legged robot or the pipe inspection operation, with each leg having
three actuated joints. They have proposed a geometric algorithm to find the position and orientation of
the robot at each procedure. The main aim was to reduce the leg extension in each step and to reduce
the extensive calculations

2.6 Screw-Drive Type Pipe Inspection Robot

Screw-Driven type pipe inspection robot is also a type of wheeled robot but with better steering
characteristics. The robot will be having a certain number of wheels with adjustable links similar to the
wheeled type. The main difference is that the forward movement of the robot is achieved by the helical
movement of the wheels, hence the robot has both translational and rotational movement at any given
time. The robot movement is of comparatively low speed but it offers good power characteristics and
weight reduction, but reversing the motion of the robot is a difficult operation.
Nishimura et al [13], have designed a screw driven type pipe inspection robot where it is designed
as two segments connected using a universal joint, the first segment is having a wheel connected 120
degrees apart and they move in a helical path inside the pipeline. This first segment is responsible for

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IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 1272 (2022) 012016 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/1272/1/012016

the steering of the robot in T sections and other joints. The robot is designed with only two actuators
and it have three locomotion modes screw driving, steering and rolling modes. They have made the
prototype and found out that it is giving good performance characteristics
Pradhan et al [14], Have designed a screw driven type pipe inspection robot (fig.8.b). The robot
is able to travel through pipelines of diameter 127 to 152 mm. The robot is segmented into 3 namely
rotor, stator and control unit, it uses the wall press mechanism hence it can move through horizontal as
well as vertical pipelines. The rotor module consists of three-wheel modules arranged in 120 degrees
apart and with a helix angle of 15 degrees and they will move in a helical path and the robot will move
along the pipe line. And the stator wheels provide the stability to the robot when the rotor is rotating.
They have conducted testings and verified the efficiency of the robot in various pipelines.

Fig.8. (a) Screw driven type IPIR [13], (b)Robot CAD model of the Screw Driven Type IPIR [14]

3. Results and Discussion

Different types of Pipe Inspection robots are discussed with the main advanced papers in each section.
The comparative study of the robots is given in the table 1. It is evident that wall pressing type IPIR
robots are the dominant class of robots. The robots can be chosen according to the respective needs.
When the inspections are only in horizontal pipes wall pressing robots are not required and using them
in these types of applications is a waste of time and effort. Hence in these cases simple structured robots
are good, and the complexity in the design, fabrication and operating of these robots are simple. But
when the horizontal pipes to be inspected are sewage pipes it is usually difficult to operate these wheeled
robots in these types of cases tracked or legged type robots can be used. Even though they are complex
in nature the efficiency of inspection will compensate for this complexity
Pipe lines with constant section diameter and characters like large lengthy oil and gas pipelines
can be inspected with PIG robots, but before inspecting a pipeline with PIG robots they usually follow
a certain number of procedures like cleaning the pipeline, checking for any internal bulging that may
cause damage to the inspection robot. These procedures make the inspection using PIG robot a lengthy
procedure.
Inchworm type robots are most suited for pipelines with small diameters since it can efficiently
move inside small pipelines, but the movement is very slow. Even though inch worms are the best
solution for small dia pipelines. Tracked/ Caterpillar type robots are suitable for medium and large sized

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IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 1272 (2022) 012016 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/1272/1/012016

pipelines and it can carry heavy equipments and have a good traction characteristic. These properties
make it suitable for inspections which involve heavy equipments
Wheel Tracked/ Inchworm PIG Legged Screw
Driven Caterpillar Type type Type Driven
Type Type Type

Manoeuvrability √√√ √ √ × √√√ √√

Adaptability √√√ √√√ √ × √√ √√√

Horizontal Movement √√√ √√√ √√√ √√√ √√√ √√√

Vertical Movement √√ √√ √ × × √√

Stability √√ √√√ √ √ √√ √

Drive Speed √√ √ √ √√ √ √

Table .1. IPIR comparative Study

4. New Design Considerations

Pipeline Inspection robots can take other design concepts also, so many bio inspired models can be used
in this field. One of the main disadvantages we observed in these models are most of the robots are
tested in an ideal situation which is not the actual case. Most of the pipelines which are undergoing the
inspection procedure will be having a wet or semiwet environment. These environments demand a more
practical solutions, one of the main models which can be adapted for this particular purpose is
amphibious designs.
Amphibious robots are important classification of robots which are bio inspired, the robots can
move through land, water and irregular surface. Even though the design will be complex the application
fields we will be able to address by a single design will be high. And by considering Indian conditions,
even now we are depending moistly on manual operations in sewage and other inspections. So,
developing these more practical reliable designs will be a great milestone in the pipeline inspection field
and it will help in reducing the risk involved in this field.
Tensegrity robot models are also a good choice for inspection robots in large pipelines where the
movement will not be affected by the obstacles in the pipelines. And the actuators required will also be
less, even though the speed that can be attained will be less. We are expecting more research work on
these topics in the coming years and it will be great to see these robots helping the mankind to develop.

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IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 1272 (2022) 012016 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/1272/1/012016

5. Conclusion
Different pipeline inspection robots are discussed in the paper, and a comparative study result are given.
There are wide range of pipeline inspection robots namely wheeled type, legged type,
Tracked/Caterpillar type, Inchworm type and so on. Each of these robots are designed for a particular
application with certain pipe diameter and complexities. Hence the robots are able to process in a
particular et of pipelines only. According to the requirements the robots can be chosen
The paper also mentions new research areas that can be explored in pipe inspection robot.
Amphibious robots are a type of robots that can locomote through a number of surfaces and designing
pipeline robots for this Pipeline inspection will be a large step towards making the robot closer to the
practical application and expecting new works in this field The paper is able to give a proper overview
of the pipe inspection robots and current advancements in the field.

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