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Flight Guidelines

Flight Guidelines for Drone Based Thermal Mapping in Solar Power Plants
Pre Flight Preparation Guide for Professional Thermal Inspection

This documentation is prepared to guide the planning and execution of flights performed with DJI drones, ensuring that inspections are carried out in accordance with operational instructions. It serves as a comprehensive guide to help you use the MapperX software efficiently and effectively.

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Environmental Factors

For mapping flights, it is ideal to fly the drone during midday hours when the sun is at its highest point.
During this period, light conditions are optimal, enhancing the clarity of the images.
In addition, windless and cloudless days should be preferred to ensure the drone remains stable and image quality is not adversely affected.

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Irradiance
Above 600 Watt/m²
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Wind
Below 25 km/h
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Temperature
Between 0 C and 50 C
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Cloudiness
Below 2 Oktas
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Shooting Time
3 hours after sunrise
3 hours before sunset

Flight Information for Tracker Based Solar Plants

Before planning a flight in solar power plants with tracker systems, the current position of the panel angles must be checked. When necessary, the tracker system should be optionally set to a fixed position and kept stationary throughout the flight.

When creating flight missions, the plant should not be evaluated as a single unit. Each transformer zone should be divided into separate flight plans and mapped individually. This approach increases data integrity and significantly enhances flight safety.

Flight Settings

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Drone Model Selection

Make sure you have selected the correct drone and always choose the Wide and IR lenses in the Lens Selection section.
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Ground Sampling Distance (GSD)

Depending on your reporting preference, the Professional Package uses a 5 cm GSD, while the Enterprise Package uses a 3 cm GSD. This allows you to perform analyses at different levels of detail according to your needs. In rooftop solar power plants, if the flight is conducted from ground level instead of directly above the roof, the roof height must be calculated and added to the total flight altitude.
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Altitude Mode

ALT (Altitude Relative to Takeoff Point): Can be used if the slope of the plant area is less than 5%. The drone maintains a constant altitude relative to the takeoff point. AGL (Altitude Relative to Ground Level): Preferred for uneven or sloped terrains. To use this mode, you can either upload the DSM file generated from an RGB orthophoto with 10 cm GSD to the controller via MicroSD card or download the required elevation data using the "Download from Internet" option.
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Speed

To obtain accurate mapping data, it is recommended to fly at no more than 50% of the maximum speed suggested by the controller.
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Orientation Angle

The plant’s map view should be examined from the controller, and flights should be conducted perpendicular to the strings (rows). For solar power plants in Turkey, an orientation angle of 180° is generally suitable; however, adjusting the angle according to the specific site location will yield more accurate results.
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Overlap Ratio

To ensure data accuracy during flight, the following overlap ratios and tolerance value should be used: Side Overlap Ratio: 70% Front Overlap Ratio: 80% Tolerance: 5.00
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Photo Mode

Always select the Interval Shooting Distance mode.

Camera Settings

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Color Palette Selection

After switching to the camera view, switch to thermal mode and select the WhiteHot option from the color palette settings located in the upper-right corner. The custom settings in the color palette selection screen should be left at their default values.
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Mode (Temperature)

In the thermal camera view, the Mode value displayed on the screen should always be set between -20 and 150.
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Thermal Camera Calibration

After setting the color palette and mode, position the camera facing the solar panels before the flight and press the FFC button in the upper-right corner once to calibrate the camera.
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Color Palette Selection

After switching to the camera view, switch to thermal mode and select the WhiteHot option from the color palette settings located in the upper-right corner. The custom settings in the color palette selection screen should be left at their default values.
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Mode Temperature

In the thermal camera view, the Mode value displayed on the screen should always be set between -20 and 150.
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Thermal Camera Calibration

After setting the color palette and mode, position the camera facing the solar panels before the flight and press the FFC button in the upper-right corner once to calibrate the camera.

RTK Settings

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RTK Positioning

Before the flight, enable the RTK Positioning and Maintain Positioning Accuracy Mode options in the Precision Positioning Settings menu. From the Select RTK Service Type menu, choose Custom Network RTK, and in the configuration section that appears below, enter and save the address information of your local fixed GNSS network if you have a subscription. If you are using a GNSS device, enter and save the address information of your GNSS unit.
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RTK Connection Status

The RTK connection status should be monitored under the Status menu and must show as FIX. The numbers of GPS, Beidou, Glonass, and Galileo satellites should be visible below. A higher total number of satellites will improve mapping accuracy.
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RTK Positioning

Before the flight, enable the RTK Positioning and Maintain Positioning Accuracy Mode options in the Precision Positioning Settings menu. From the Select RTK Service Type menu, choose Custom Network RTK, and in the configuration section that appears below, enter and save the address information of your local fixed GNSS network if you have a subscription. If you are using a GNSS device, enter and save the address information of your GNSS unit.
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RTK Connection Status

The RTK connection status should be monitored under the Status menu and must show as FIX. The numbers of GPS, Beidou, Glonass, and Galileo satellites should be visible below. A higher total number of satellites will improve mapping accuracy.

Accessory Requirements

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Memory Card Selection

To ensure your photos are written accurately and completely to the memory card, the minimum write speed must be 120 MB/s. MapperX recommends using a card with a write speed between 150 MB/s and 160 MB/s.
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GNSS Receiver

RTK (Real-Time Kinematic) technology uses GNSS signals to provide centimeter-level accuracy. Therefore, for maps requiring precise positioning, the use of a GNSS device is mandatory to ensure a stable RTK connection and minimize signal loss.

Important Considerations for Rooftop Power Plants

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is thermographic inspection in solar power plants?

Thermographic inspection is a technique used to detect the temperatures of equipment in solar power plants. This inspection allows for early detection of potential faults and preventive maintenance.

2. Why is thermographic inspection important?

Thermographic inspection helps improve the efficiency of equipment in solar power plants. Early detection of faults and preventive maintenance can reduce operating costs.

3. How is thermographic inspection performed?

Thermographic inspection is performed using thermal cameras. The cameras detect the temperatures of the equipment, and this data is processed and reported by MapperX.

4. Does thermographic inspection damage the site?

Thermographic inspection is a non-destructive process and is applied without making any physical changes to your plant. It does not damage your site and helps maintain the safe operation of your plant.

5. Why is a thermal camera important?

Thermal cameras are used to accurately detect the temperatures of equipment in solar power plants. These cameras help with early detection of faults and preventive maintenance.

6. How is thermographic inspection reported?

Thermographic inspection data is processed by our software, and a comprehensive report is created. These reports are used to improve the efficiency of solar power plants and reduce operational costs.

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