Aerial thermography
Spot anomalies before they turn into problems
Drone thermography for photovoltaic plant inspection.
A photovoltaic plant can include hundreds or thousands of modules. Checking them one at a time takes time and, especially in large solar parks, quickly pinpointing exactly where an anomaly might be can become difficult.
Aerial thermography makes it possible to survey the whole plant using a drone fitted with a thermal camera. During the flight we capture imagery that reveals abnormal temperature differences between modules and/or sections of the plant.
The result?
A complete view of the solar park and precise guidance on the areas that need a more thorough technical inspection.
The thermal camera
Seeing what the eye cannot
Two apparently identical panels can behave very differently. A thermal camera records those differences through surface temperature, revealing overheating and abnormal behaviour that would not be immediately recognisable in a normal visual inspection.
These anomalies can be a useful indication of which modules or components deserve follow-up checks.
Thermography does not replace the technician’s electrical diagnosis: it tells them where to look.
The advantages
Why use a drone?
The main advantage is being able to inspect even very large plants systematically.
From above it becomes possible to:
- inspect large surfaces
- quickly identify zones with abnormal thermal behaviour
- locate issues precisely on the plant
- reduce the time an inspection requires
- deliver georeferenced reports
- document findings both photographically and thermally
- compare the state of the plant over time through periodic checks
Instead of hunting for a problem across hundreds of panels, the survey pinpoints the problems precisely.
The deliverables
From imagery to report
The real value of the survey comes after the flight.
The acquisitions are analysed and organised to provide clear documentation of the anomalies found. The report gives the georeferenced position of each point of interest with RGB and thermal imagery, producing a detailed map of every anomaly on the plant.
Maintenance teams and technicians therefore have an operational tool with which to plan checks and interventions.
Maintenance
Simpler inspection. Better-informed maintenance.
Knowing the state of your plant means you can plan checks and maintenance far more rationally.
Agriscan uses the drone to make this analysis phase faster and easier to read, giving the appointed professional the information they need for the technical follow-up.