A method of active freewheel control (AFW) of a remote-operated pipe crawler vehicle provides a means of retrieving the pipe crawler vehicle after remote visual inspection of a pipe or other passage through a camera assembly on the pipe crawler vehicle. After the vehicle is remotely driven through the pipe to an inspection location, an operator may engage one or more modes to reverse the drive system of the vehicle back to the entry point of the pipe. The AFW system employs an arrangement of integrated sensors and software to intelligently control a simplified drive system that allows the crawler vehicle to assist motion when a tether connecting the vehicle to a control unit is pulled on.