Drone Solar Panels Inspection

Why are Solar Panel Inspections needed?

Consistent exposure to weather including UV from sunlight, rain and wind will cause solar energy system components to deteriorate or become damaged over time, creating an electrical or fire safety risk.

Dust and debris also gradually build up on solar panels. This may affect how the system performs.

Regular inspections and maintenance of solar energy systems will ensure that any issues are identified and fixed early before they pose a risk or cause other problems which can be expensive to fix.

How Inspections are Done?

Solar panel Inspections can be done either manually or by using Drones.

Each method has its benefits but overall, companies prefer drone inspections because of the overall benefit they offer.

let's go over both in detail.

Manual Inspections

Manual Inspections are done by a ground team consisting of a number of people depending on the size of the solar farm.

These inspections can take up to weeks and even months.

Here is what these inspections offer:

1. High equipment cost
2. High manpower needs
3. Tools and equipment
4. Longer inspection time
5. The final data is not accurate enough since it comes from different sources.
6. Risk of injury
7. High overall costs

Drone Inspections

Drone Inspections on the other hand are relatively new in this niche (Compared to the traditional method) but they are highly preferred over manual ones because of the following benefits:

1. Very Low equipment cost
2. Low manpower needs (Only a Trained pilot for on-site inspection)
3. Minimum Tools and equipment needed
4. Inspection times cut down up to 70%
5. Accurate data accross multiple formats
6. No risk of accidental injuries
7. Overall costs cut down by up to 50%

Types of Drones you can use

Here are some of the drones you can use for proper solar farm inspection.

Keep in mind that while most drones will be ok for the job, it all depends on what your deliverables are and what sensors you need to fulfil those deliverables.

DJI INSPIRE 1, PAIRED WITH ZENMUSE XT CAMERA

• Pros: Meets industry thermal imaging resolution standards while remaining inexpensive
• Cons: Accessories and batteries can be difficult to find for these discontinued models?

DJI MATRICE 30T

• Pros: Withstands -20° C to 50° C temperatures, built-in new software DJI Pilot 2, lightweight and portable, IP54 Protection (water and dustproof)
• Cons: Included smart controller is limited in its functionality and compatibility with other apps, not yet compatible with many post-processing software applications, low ground clearance and lack of proper landing gear increase the probability of propeller damage during takeoff and landing

DJI MATRICE 300 RTK, PAIRED WITH H20T THERMAL CAMERA

• Pros: Extended battery life (up to 55 minutes) can cover large solar sites with fewer or zero battery swaps for faster inspections
• Cons: Included smart controller is limited in its functionality and compatibility with other apps.

Our On-Field Experience

Here's something from our success vault. This particular project was to inspect a solar power plant.

Our Approach was to use the DJI M300 equipped with the zenmuse thermal imaging sensor.

This was the perfect drone for the job. Its Key Features include:

• 15 km Max Transmission1
• 55-min Max Flight Time2
• 6 Directional Sensing & Positioning.
• Primary Flight Display.
• IP45 Rating.
• -20°C to 50°C Operating Temperature.
• Hot-swappable Battery.
• UAV Health Management System.

The Execution

Our Approach was to survey the entire solar farm with the DJI Matrice m300 RTK equipped with the H20T Zenmuse sensor and take regular and thermal images of the solar panels.

Then use AI to identify faultily, damaged, or low-performing panels.

Technical Details

Thermal imaging or Thermography is a process where a thermal camera captures an image by using infrared radiation emitted from the solar panels.

And we accomplished this using the DJI M300 drone + the H20T Zenmuse sensor.

We also performed Visual and Thermal inspections and then produced a detailed Geo-tagging report for the faulty modules and hot spot identification.

let's not dive too much into the details. Overall it was a successful project and our experience with the Matrice 300 was awesome.

Conclusion

Drones are an essential part of most businesses these days. From Facade inspections to multi-asset inspections, businesses prefer drones because they offer better accuracy, less time, less risk and more reward.

And we at GIS Drones are one of the businesses making all this possible.

The team we have is exceptional, highly trained and extremely talented. Not to mention we have a fleet of Industry-leading drones at our disposal to cover everything from facade inspections, surveys and all the way to inspecting large powerplants.

Get in touch for a FREE Consultation