Slight tilt of the base causes positioning drift in patrol robots - Substation

On October 13, 2025, during routine equipment inspections using an intelligent patrol robot at a large substation, the operations and maintenance team observed frequent positioning drift in the robot's navigation system. The robot repeatedly deviated from its pre-set patrol path and even triggered automatic shutdown protection. Upon thorough investigation by our technical team, the root cause was traced to an improperly leveled charging dock installation. Despite an inclination angle of less than 1 degree, this misalignment caused the mobile robot platform to adopt an offset posture after each automatic return to base. Consequently, this deviation compromised the initial calibration reference for both the LiDAR and the Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU).

A robot base that is not level may seem like a minor issue, but it can trigger a chain reaction of problems. First and foremost, reduced positioning accuracy becomes the most critical concern. Especially in high-precision tasks such as precision assembly and spray painting, a tilted base causes the robotic arm's end effector to deviate from its intended trajectory, directly impacting product quality.

Secondly, an uneven base causes robot components to bear forces in unintended directions, resulting in uneven stress distribution across the mechanical structure. This accelerates wear on critical parts such as joints and bearings, potentially leading to premature equipment failure.

Additionally, a tilted base can interfere with the robot's sensor systems. Many robots rely on gyroscopes or accelerometers for attitude calibration, and an uneven base can cause sensor data bias, affecting the stability of navigation and motion control. For mobile robot platform, inspection robots, agricultural robot chassis, and firefighting robots, this issue may lead to path planning errors and even cause collision accidents.

Note: An uneven base may lead to reduced robot performance, shortened equipment lifespan, or even cause safety incidents. The following is an analysis of the specific impacts:

1. Reduced Positioning Accuracy

An unleveled base causes the robot's body coordinate system to shift, directly affecting the positioning accuracy of the robotic arm or moving components. In high-precision tasks such as precision assembly, machining, or measurement, such deviations are significantly amplified, leading to operational errors.

2. Abnormal Mechanical Stress Distribution

Non-horizontal installation subjects the mobile robot platform to loads in unintended directions, causing localized stress concentrations. This accelerates wear on joints, bearings, and transmission components. Prolonged operation may lead to premature fatigue failure, shortening the overall service life of the machine.

3. Reduced Motion Control Stability

Base tilt alters the overall center of gravity distribution, forcing the control system to perform additional compensation and increasing control complexity. During high-speed motion or sudden load changes, this can easily trigger vibration or dynamic instability, compromising operational smoothness and task reliability.

4. Sensor Data Inaccuracy

mobile robot platform rely on inertial sensors such as gyroscopes and accelerometers for attitude estimation and feedback control. An unbalanced base introduces initial attitude bias, causing sensor data distortion that subsequently interferes with perception, navigation, and decision-making systems.

5. Increased Safety Risks

A tilted base compromises the robot's overall stability, significantly raising the risk of overturning or loss of control—particularly during high-speed operation or under heavy loads. For collaborative robots or equipment deployed in densely populated areas, such hazards may directly threaten personal safety.

Impact on Specific Applications:

In industrial robots such as welding, cutting, or painting robots, an uneven base may cause deviations in processing trajectories, affecting product quality.

In mobile robots (e.g., AGVs or service robots), an uneven base compromises navigation accuracy, potentially leading to path planning errors or collisions.