Optimal approaching path of helicopter live-line work by the platform method on 1000 kV AC transmission lines

There has been a 1000 kV ultra-high-voltage (UHV) AC transmission line running in China, but the related papers introducing the approach path of the helicopter live-line work platform (HLLWP) are still not presented. The model of the HLLWP approaching the transmission lines were established in this paper, based on the real parameters of helicopter MD500 and 1000 kV UHV AC transmission lines. Through calculating electrostatic field with the finite element method, the results of the electric field were obtained when the HLLWP was at different locations nearby a certain phase and approaching different phases. The surface electric fields on the HLLWP and operator’s conductive clothing at different locations were analyzed and then the optimal approaching paths of different phases based on the consideration of the HLLWP and operator’s safety were proposed to provide suggestions for the operations of the HLLWP. In the end, the experimental data was compared with the numerical result to prove the reliability of this method.