Drones in Solar Energy

Drones in Solar Energy, high quality of solar panels is a prerequisite for efficient and long-term energy production of a solar power plant. The long operating time of solar panels is a prerequisite for efficient energy production and return on investment in a solar power plant. In order to ensure long-term trouble-free operation of PV panels, it is necessary to have a thermal imaging inspection to evaluate the quality of solar panels after the plant is installed.
It is appropriate to perform thermal imaging inspection and obtain thermal images with a drone to check the solar panels between 11:00-15:00.
Remember that it is almost impossible to detect faults in a solar power plant in the dark with a visual sensor.

It is not recommended to check immediately after rain to detect leaks. It is better to wait about a day to allow the water to evaporate from the surface. Thermal imaging analysis will be inaccurate as the problem may be hidden under the puddles formed on the roofs after rain.
PV panel defects are clearly visible in the thermal image and, unlike many other methods, thermal imaging cameras can be used to check the installed solar panels during the operation of the solar power plant.
With a thermal imaging camera, defects or potential solar panel problems can be detected before the entire solar power plant fails.
It is important to recognise that not every thermal camera is suitable for the diagnosis of solar panels and there are some guidelines that must be followed in order for the diagnosis to be carried out effectively.

Recommended Thermal Drones and Cameras for PV Inspection:

• DJI Mavic 3 Thermal (M3T)
• DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced
• DJI M30T
• DJI M300-Zenmuse H20T
• DJI M200-Zenmuse XT2

Before the use of drones, faults in the panels were detected by power plant employees, but now personnel are only involved when problems are detected. The use of thermal drone technology makes it possible to reduce the inspection time of a solar power plant by 15 times.
Infrared drone imagery provides a wider detailed view of the solar power plant and allows maintenance teams to access real-time information indicating thermal anomalies.

MapperX, an artificial intelligence technology software developed with image processing and machine learning techniques, automatically detects panel faults in images obtained from drone inspection of solar power plants. The faults detected are then reported in a way that solar power plant owners can understand. If you want to get information about non-destructive testing processes and learn the faults of solar power plants with 100% accuracy, you can contact MapperX.

Advantages of Thermal Inspection

1. Safe

Working at heights is always a danger to human life and health. Unmanned aerial vehicles eliminate all risks of injury and disability, such as falling from a height.

2. Fast

Traditional PV panel inspection methods require more resources and time. With drones, you do not need to work for hours and days. Inspection of panels by drone takes only a few hours and guarantees that the service is carried out according to the calendar plan, regardless of external weather conditions.

3. Efficient

Thermal examination diagnostics is one of the most effective diagnostic methods. The images obtained in the examination have high resolution and clarity.

4. Economic

Traditional methods of aerial inspection of solar power plants require the use of more expensive resources (aircraft and specialised personnel). Aerial inspection by drone requires only the drone itself and the drone operator controlling it.

5. Simple

Every day new technologies are making our work and life simpler. All you need for thermal inspections is a thermal drone.
Timely detection of malfunctions of solar power plants, timely repair of inverters and equipment is of great importance to minimise losses in electricity generation. DJI thermal drones provide fast and cost-effective inspection of solar power plants, reducing maintenance time and increasing efficiency by reducing the risk of interruption of power generation

The use of UAVs to inspect solar panels has gained popularity due to their simplicity, cheapness and 100% accuracy. Previously, only hand tools were used for PV inspections and huge solar power plants were inspected from the ground. This survey technique was ver expensive, time-consuming and allowed only 2-3% of the total area to be qualitatively surveyed.

Now, thanks to modern UAVs, especially the Matrice 300 RTK with Zenmuse H20T hybrid visual-thermal imaging camera, a full survey of solar power plants can be completed much more cost-effectively and in the shortest possible time.
MapperX detects faults in solar power plants with 99% accuracy thanks to artificial intelligence software. With MapperX, you can make your solar power plants much more efficient. Visit the website to learn more about “13 Problems in Solar Panels”