Florida Power and Light (FPL) provides power to over ten million people in Florida through the use of millions of utility poles that transfer power to homes. Due to the effects of nature, the health of these poles degrades over time. Linemen are tasked to test the health of these poles every two years and do so using an 18-step inspection process. One of these steps is the hammer test where a lineman taps the pole with a hammer and listens for the produced sound. Changes in sounds correlates to a defect in the pole. This inspection process has been prone to errors and requires many different resources to perform. Our goal was to automate and simplify FPL's pole inspection process.

                 Our team has developed a pole testing approach that uses radar technology to improve testing efficiency and reduce testing error. This design provides linemen with a simpler and non-invasive way to test the health of a utility pole. With the help of a team of mechanical engineers, we are designing and building a triangle-shaped robot that can climb and adjust to different sized poles. The radar sensor is attached to the robot and allows the health of the pole to be checked while the robot climbs. Additionally, both the robot and the sensor are powered using a rechargeable battery. These batteries are already used by linemen, allowing them to not need additional tools. Both parts are also being controlled by an app designed for iPhones and iPads. The user is able to control the robot's movement and view the sensor's test results, along with other important robot information.