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PV Thermography by Drone

Aerial surveys to identify hot‑spots and faulty strings with proper GSD and IR mosaic.

  • Fast coverage of utility‑scale PV
  • Hot‑spots and string mismatch detection
  • IR mosaic and ground validation
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Method

  1. Define GSD and flight plan by layout
  2. IR/visible acquisition with radiometric payload
  3. IR mosaic processing and georeferencing
  4. Ground validation on sample when necessary
  5. Report with defect classification per module/string

Note: drones are fast carriers for modules; we validate on the ground for doubtful cases.

Scope & typical use cases

Drone-based thermography surveys an entire PV plant at a fraction of the time of hand-held inspection: a multi-MW field is flown in hours, with georeferenced IR + RGB imagery of every string. The thermal signatures separate faults that look identical from the ground — bypass-diode failures showing as hot substrings, open-circuit strings running uniformly warm, PID-affected panels at array edges, hot-spot cells from cracking or soiling, and connector faults in combiner boxes.

Typical engagements: acceptance flights on new plants before provisional handover (defect lists per IEC 62446-3 inspection categories), annual O&M campaigns with year-on-year degradation comparison, post-storm or post-hail damage assessment for insurance claims, and pre-acquisition due diligence where an independent defect inventory changes the price conversation. Flights are planned for irradiance ≥600 W/m² and stable conditions so ΔT readings are diagnostic, not weather noise.

Every anomaly is mapped to its physical string/module position, so field technicians walk straight to the affected module with a work order — no re-surveying, no guessing.

Deliverables

  • PDF report with defect map and severity
  • Georeferenced IR/visible mosaic
  • Hot‑spot list per module/string
  • Recommended corrective actions (cleaning, replacement, I‑V checks)

Reference Standards

  • IEC TS 62446-3:2017
  • IEC 61724-1:2021

A drone campaign often reveals questions the flight alone cannot answer. Ground-based infrared thermography inspection services cover inverters, switchgear, and BOS assets at close range, and custom thermal imaging solutions apply where a plant needs a permanent or application-specific monitoring setup.

FAQ

What GSD is recommended?
Typically 3–10 cm per pixel for utility-scale plants, depending on the inspection objective, module layout, flight height, and required anomaly detail.
Do you need flight authorization?
Operations follow applicable regulations and local airspace requirements, using qualified pilots. Site access and any necessary authorizations are planned before the flight.
What IR payload do you use?
Radiometric cameras are used so measurements can be compared at scale. Flight planning, irradiance, stable conditions, and image processing remain important to make the observations useful.
How is ground validation performed?
Doubtful cases can be checked with close-range thermography and/or I-V measurements on sampled modules, so a drone observation is correlated with field evidence before corrective work is selected.
Do you inspect other plant assets besides PV modules?
Yes. The same team delivers ground-based industrial thermography for electrical panels, motors, and process assets, and can scope a custom thermal imaging solution where a site needs a permanently installed or application-specific setup.

Progetto cofinanziato nell'ambito del PR Piemonte FSE+ 2021-2027,
Priorità I, Obiettivo Specifico a), Azione 4 – "Sostegno alla nascita delle start up"