The umbilical cables play an irreplaceable and crucial role in the Remotely Operated Vehicle -Unmanned Surface Vehicle (ROV-USV) cooperative system which is prone to damage during operation due to the stretching effect. In the study, a new type of triboelectric-based sensor (T-TENG) consisted of flexible silica rubber and helical electrodes proposed to monitor the in-situ condition of umbilical cord for the first time. The triboelectric-based sensor is composed of flexible silica and multiple layers of electrodes. It generates electrical signals through the deformation of the cable body and reflects the tensile state in real time. The experimental results show that the excitation frequency of the sensor is 0.5–4.0 Hz in the tensile range of 0–100%, showing excellent output and environmental stability. It can accurately output the electrical signal generated by friction and realize real-time accurate monitoring of umbilical cord cable state during operation. Therefore, the triboelectric-based sensor proposed in this paper has great potential to realize the state perception of ROV umbilical cord cable and improve the security of ROV-USV operation platform.