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Drones for Photovoltaics

Thermal Imaging Inspection of Photovoltaic Farms

Drone thermal imaging of PV panels detects hot-spots, damaged cells and micro-cracks in hours instead of days. No system shutdown, no roof walking required.

No PV shutdownFLIR thermal imagingIEC 62446 report
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1280×1024

Thermal resolution

< 0.05°C

Detector sensitivity

1 MW/h

Inspection throughput

24h

Report ready

What does a drone PV inspection cover?

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Hot-spot diagnostics

A hot-spot is an overheated photovoltaic cell — causing efficiency loss and fire risk. The drone thermal camera identifies every hot-spot in seconds.

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Damaged cell detection

Short circuits, open circuits and PID degradation visible as thermal anomalies. We identify faulty panels down to individual cells without module removal.

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Electrical connection inspection

Overheated MC4 connectors, damaged bypass diodes and faulty strings visible on thermograms. Early intervention prevents fires and costly failures.

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Visual installation documentation

Complete photo documentation of the PV farm: RGB images of every panel, installation orthophoto and mechanical inspection (glass cracks, soiling, shading).

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IEC 62446-compliant report

Inspection report meeting IEC 62446-3 requirements for photovoltaic system inspection using airborne infrared thermography.

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Yield loss analysis

Comparing thermograms with inverter data links thermal anomalies to energy production drops and estimates financial losses.

Who benefits from drone PV inspection?

Manual inspection of a 1 MW PV farm takes weeks with a meter and a handheld thermal camera. A drone does the same job in one hour — with better accuracy, as it views every panel from the optimal angle. Zero roof walking, zero risk, full documentation of every module.

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PV farm owners — regular thermal diagnostics without production shutdown
O&M service companies — fast identification of faulty panels and repair prioritization on large installations
RES investors and funds — technical due diligence before PV farm acquisition with full thermal report
PV installation insurers — condition documentation after hailstorms, fires and other incidents
Panel manufacturers and distributors — warranty claim verification with independent thermal report

How does a drone PV inspection work?

1

Schedule planning

We set the optimal flight date — minimum 600 W/m² irradiance, no clouds, wind below 5 m/s. The installation must be under load (grid-connected).

2

Thermal flight

The drone with FLIR thermal camera (1280×1024 px) flies over the installation capturing thermal and RGB images simultaneously. Every photo is GPS-geotagged.

3

Anomaly analysis

We classify thermal anomalies per IEC 62446-3: hot-spots, damaged diodes, faulty strings. Each anomaly mapped to farm layout location.

4

Report and fault map

PDF report with thermograms, RGB photos, anomaly classification, fault map on farm layout and energy production loss estimate.

Drone applications in photovoltaics

Annual PV farm thermal inspection
Yield drop diagnostics
New PV farm technical acceptance
Post-hailstorm damage inspection
Panel warranty claim verification
Due diligence before PV farm purchase

Frequently asked questions — photovoltaics

Must the PV installation be shut down during inspection?
No — quite the opposite. Panels must be under load (grid-connected) for thermal anomalies to be visible. The inspection requires no shutdowns and causes no production losses.
What weather conditions are required?
Minimum 600 W/m² irradiance (ideally > 800 W/m²), no clouds or < 20% cloud cover, wind below 5 m/s. Optimal: summer morning on a cloudless day.
How many panels can a drone inspect per hour?
The drone inspects approximately 1 MW of installed capacity per hour (about 2,000–2,500 panels). A 5 MW farm is completed in one working day.
What is a hot-spot and why is it dangerous?
A hot-spot is local overheating of a photovoltaic cell caused by micro-cracks, shading or faulty bypass diodes. The overheated cell can reach 150–200°C, leading to panel degradation, power loss and in extreme cases — fire.
Does the report comply with industry standards?
Yes. Our reports comply with IEC 62446-3 (Photovoltaic systems — Requirements for testing, documentation and maintenance — Part 3: Photovoltaic modules and plants — Outdoor infrared thermography).
How much does a PV farm thermal inspection cost?
Price depends on installed capacity and location. Rooftop installations up to 50 kWp start from 150 EUR net, ground-mounted 1 MWp farms from 350 EUR net. Quotes are always free.
Can I compare installation condition with previous inspections?
Yes. With regular inspections (e.g. annual), we generate anomaly comparisons with previous flights — new faults, deterioration of existing ones and effectiveness of completed repairs.

Ready to get started?

Contact us and we'll send you a quote within 24h.

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