An innovative on-board diesel burner driven by a rotating gliding arc plasma has been developed for thermal management of diesel catalysts. The unique features of the burner, such as abnormally fast ignition process, removal of black carbons deposited on the parts of the burner, extended flammability limits, have been revealed through various burner and engine lab tests. After these basic tests, intensive field tests have been conducted to evaluate the practical feasibility of the burner. In the field tests, about 200 sets of the burner and DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) have been installed in various kinds of low speed heavy-duty (HD) vehicles, which are vehicles for towing airplane, mixer (Ready-Mixed Concrete) cars, cargo trucks operated in military bases. The field tests show that all of the filters and burners have been operated for more than 4 years without maintenance problems. The tests also show that emissions of HC (Hydrocarbons), which results in white smoke emissions in a cold season, can be significantly reduced by applying several techniques simultaneously, which are fast ignition process, extending flammability limits, precise control of fuel supply, etc.