Transmission line icing poses a great threat to the power grid. How to achieve efficient de-icing while ensuring the stability of power supply has become a major research focus. The traditional de-icing method has obvious drawbacks and is not very universal. With the development of “cloud, big data, Internet of Things, mobile Internet, artificial intelligence, chain and edge” technologies, robot de-icing technology can integrate the advantages of traditional de-icing methods and gradually become the trend of de-icing transmission lines in the future. Based on the current research status of deicing robots at home and abroad, this article reviews and summarizes the composition and functions of the walking, de-icing, pressing, equipotential bonding and on-line power acquisition mechanisms of de-icing robots. Finally, it points out the problems existing in the current research of transmission line de-icing robots in terms of rapid line loading and unloading, equipotential lapping, and anti-electromagnetic interference, and puts forward suggestions for future research from a theoretical perspective.