A new insulator image identification and location method was proposed. Based on Image processing technology and database technology of the principle of ASIFT, it can be intelligent extraction helicopter patrol in the video image of insulators. Firstly, the establishment of a standard insulator gallery, extracting characteristic values by improving the insulator UL-PCNN infrared image segmentation algorithm, and then let transmission line captured video of patrol matching with a standard library of insulator image by ASIFT, and then identify and positioning the video insulators, ASIFT image recognition method simulate the longitude and latitude angle camera angle optical axis and match image features in the affine space, the results show, ASIFT method has good anti-affine deformation properties. This method can be processed the image at a small image artificial conditions, and improved automation of image processing based on overhead transmission line insulator fault detection.