Why aerial drone imaging surveys should be added to solar PV inspections?

Aerial drone imaging surveys provide a bird’s eye view of your solar plant. They can detect many faults quickly and effectively. Solar PV inspections with drones have the capacity to minimise the time it takes for on-site inspections to be completed. It’s also a safer option, too. You don’t require engineers to work from heights - instead, the drone will showcase the entire plant. In this guide, we’re looking at the reasons you would want to include aerial drone thermal imaging as part of your essential O&M for a solar park.

Thermal imaging cameras can collect more information in a lot less time. They can collect data up to 50 times faster than with traditional manual methods.

With a professional team, you can ensure the drone is being handled correctly, with a flight path and camera angle that captures every table and array. They’ll also be able to ensure that regulations are being met.

The imaging is not only faster, it’s also more detailed. A lot of the issues are not visible to the naked eye, so a camera also helps to showcase an advanced level of detail. Potential faults that can be diagnosed include fractures or debris on the surface, hotspots, issues with cells or strings, shadowing and more.

A solar PV maintenance report will give you full visibility on the performance of your solar park or plant. Without this data, you won’t have a complete understanding of your ROI and whether there are any issues that need addressing.

As drone technology has become more accessible, it’s an increasingly affordable way to complete inspections. Only one or two flights will be required in a single inspection, and the entire solar plant will be covered. When considering the time and resource savings, it’s certainly an efficient option.

If there are any subsequent actions required, you should receive a list of remedial works. Remark is a leading supplier of commercial solar PV maintenance. According to some studies, a large proportion of issues can be found on solar panels prior to operations. This means that it’s always worth having inspections completed before you start generating electricity. These inspections will ensure that your plant is optimised from the start.