A magnetic crawler (110; 200;...; 1000; 1100) configured to navigate on and inspect a ferromagnetic cylindrical surface, the magnetic crawler comprising: - a chassis; - a controller coupled to the chassis and configured to control the magnetic crawler (110; 200;...; 1000; 1100); - a probe coupled to the chassis and configured to inspect the ferromagnetic cylindrical surface under the control of the controller; and - only three articulated magnetic wheels (120, 130) coupled to the chassis and configured to tangentially contact and magnetically adhere to the cylindrical surface, the three magnetic wheels (120, 130) comprising: - right and left drive wheels respectively coupled to the chassis by right and left articulation joints and configured to drive the magnetic crawler (110; 200;...; 1000; 1100) in a desired direction on the cylindrical surface by actively rotating independently about respective right and left drive axes of rotation using respective right and left drive motors under the control of the controller; and - a rear wheel coupled to the chassis by a rear articulation joint and configured to passively rotate about a rear drive axis of rotation in response to the active rotations of the right and left drive wheels, wherein the right and left articulation joints respectively provide single degree of freedom rotation of the right and left drive wheels with respect to the chassis about respective right and left tilt axes of rotation in order to tilt the right and left drive wheels with respect to the chassis and maintain the tangential contact with the curvature of the cylindrical surface, characterized in that the rear articulation joint provides two degrees of freedom rotation of the rear wheel with respect to the chassis about a rear tilt axis of rotation and a swivel axis of rotation perpendicular to the rear tilt axis of rotation, the rear tilt axis of rotation being to tilt the rear wheel with respect to the chassis and maintain the tangential contact with the curvature of the cylindrical surface, and the swivel axis of rotation being to swivel the rear wheel with respect to the chassis in the desired direction in response to the driving of the magnetic crawler (110; 200;...; 1000; 1100). - a chassis; - a controller coupled to the chassis and configured to control the magnetic crawler (110; 200;...; 1000; 1100); - a probe coupled to the chassis and configured to inspect the ferromagnetic cylindrical surface under the control of the controller; and - only three articulated magnetic wheels (120, 130) coupled to the chassis and configured to tangentially contact and magnetically adhere to the cylindrical surface, the three magnetic wheels (120, 130) comprising: - right and left drive wheels respectively coupled to the chassis by right and left articulation joints and configured to drive the magnetic crawler (110; 200;...; 1000; 1100) in a desired direction on the cylindrical surface by actively rotating independently about respective right and left drive axes of rotation using respective right and left drive motors under the control of the controller; and - a rear wheel coupled to the chassis by a rear articulation joint and configured to passively rotate about a rear drive axis of rotation in response to the active rotations of the right and left drive wheels, - right and left drive wheels respectively coupled to the chassis by right and left articulation joints and configured to drive the magnetic crawler (110; 200;...; 1000; 1100) in a desired direction on the cylindrical surface by actively rotating independently about respective right and left drive axes of rotation using respective right and left drive motors under the control of the controller; and - a rear wheel coupled to the chassis by a rear articulation joint and configured to passively rotate about a rear drive axis of rotation in response to the active rotations of the right and left drive wheels, wherein the right and left articulation joints respectively provide single degree of freedom rotation of the right and left drive wheels with respect to the chassis about respective right and left tilt axes of rotation in order to tilt the right and left drive wheels with respect to the chassis and maintain the tangential contact with the curvature of the cylindrical surface, characterized in that the rear articulation joint provides two degrees of freedom rotation of the rear wheel with respect to the chassis about a rear tilt axis of rotation and a swivel axis of rotation perpendicular to the rear tilt axis of rotation, the rear tilt axis of rotation being to tilt the rear wheel with respect to the chassis and maintain the tangential contact with the curvature of the cylindrical surface, and the swivel axis of rotation being to swivel the rear wheel with respect to the chassis in the desired direction in response to the driving of the magnetic crawler (110; 200;...; 1000; 1100).