In the process of dynamic unbalance detection for precision cylindrical rollers, challenges such as difficulty in achieving effective driving and susceptibility to surface damage during driving significantly impact the accuracy of unbalance detection. This hinders the industry’s ability to achieve the non-destructive detection of cylindrical rollers. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel driving method to enable non-destructive driving of precision cylindrical rollers. The structural principles of the driving mechanism are presented, and a mechanical model for the cylindrical roller is established to analyze the force distribution. Subsequently, a mathematical model for the air film bearing the cylindrical roller is developed to study the variation characteristics of the air film’s load-bearing capacity. The optimal air film thickness is determined, and the rationality of the mathematical model is validated through simulation analysis. Finally, an experimental platform for non-destructive driving is constructed to further verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. This research provides a prerequisite for the non-destructive detection of dynamic unbalance in precision cylindrical rollers.