Thermal Inspection for Solar Parks

Thermographic Solar Inspection provides a precise, non-invasive method to evaluate the health and performance of solar PV installations. Using high-resolution thermal imaging captured by drones, we identify hotspots, faulty modules, string failures, and other hidden anomalies before they escalate into costly downtime.
This service helps asset owners maintain optimal efficiency, extend equipment lifespan, and reduce operational losses through early detection and clear diagnostic insights.

About The Service

We perform detailed thermal imaging of solar parks using industrial-grade drones and radiometric cameras. The data is captured under standardized conditions and processed to detect faults at module, string, and array level.

Why it matters

Thermal anomalies signal underlying electrical or mechanical failures.
Regular thermographic inspections ensure that your solar park:

Early fault detection saves costs
Maximizes energy production
Extends system lifespan
Supports warranty claims

How it works

A drone autonomously flies the predefined route, collects radiometric thermal data, and the results are analyzed through specialized software. Findings are mapped onto your PV layout, highlighting all detected issues with severity levels.

Key Benefits of Drone-Based Inspections

Rapid site-wide coverage
Non-invasive testing
Safe for technicians
Cost-effective compared to traditional methods

FAQ

Why thermal inspection matters
Early fault detection – Thermal cameras can identify malfunctioning solar modules, hotspots, and electrical issues that aren’t visible to the naked eye.  
Time and cost efficiency – Drones can survey large solar farms in hours rather than the days or weeks required for manual inspection.
Safety improvement – Inspectors don’t need to walk across potentially hazardous solar arrays or work at height.
Performance optimization – Regular thermal imaging helps track panel degradation over time, verify warranty claims, and ensure the solar park operates at maximum efficiency.
What losses causes temperature anomalies
Hotspot-related losses: 10-30% per affected module When cells within a module develop hotspots due to shading, cracking, or connection issues, they can reduce that module’s output by 10-30%. In severe cases where bypass diodes fail, a single hotspot can disable an entire module string, causing losses of 50% or more for multiple modules.
Soiling and uneven heating: 5-15% reduction Dust, dirt, or debris accumulation creates temperature variations across modules. These non-uniform temperatures reduce efficiency, with heavily soiled modules losing 5-15% of their potential output depending on severity and climate conditions.
Module degradation and delamination: 0.5-2% annually Temperature anomalies often signal internal degradation, moisture ingress, or delamination. While normal degradation is about 0.5% per year, modules with thermal abnormalities can degrade 2-4 times faster, accelerating long-term losses.
Junction box and connection failures: up to 100% per module Overheating junction boxes or faulty connections appear as severe thermal anomalies. These can cause complete module failure, resulting in 100% loss for affected panels and potentially impacting entire strings (typically 10-24 modules).
System-level impact: 2-7% of total output For a typical solar park, undetected and unaddressed temperature anomalies across multiple modules commonly result in 2-7% total system underperformance. In poorly maintained facilities, this can exceed 10%.
Financial impact example: For a 10 MW solar park generating €500,000 annually, even a conservative 3% loss from temperature anomalies represents €15,000 in lost revenue per year—often far exceeding the cost of regular thermal drone inspections.
What is PID and why is it important to detect it early?
PID (Potential-Induced Degradation) is a progressive loss of module performance caused by electrical potential differences inside the module. It develops slowly at first but can lead to severe power loss as degradation spreads across the string. Drone thermography allows early identification of PID patterns before production losses become significant.
What types of anomalies can drone thermography detect?
Drone-based thermal imaging can identify hotspots, cracked cells, diode failures, string-end heating, junction box overheating and PID patterns. These issues are visible as temperature anomalies even when the system continues operating normally.
What is Delta T (ΔT) and why does it matter?
ΔT represents the temperature difference between a faulty component and its surrounding normal components. Larger ΔT values indicate more severe anomalies and higher energy losses. ΔT is also used in manufacturer warranty evaluations, where certain thresholds must be exceeded to qualify for claims.
Why are IEC-compliant inspections more accurate?
IEC 62446-3:2017 requires high-resolution thermal imaging at low flight altitudes. This ensures more pixels per solar cell, more accurate temperature measurements, and more reliable detection of subtle defects like microcracks or early-stage PID. Non-compliant high-altitude scans often miss these anomalies.
Does a drone inspection affect plant operation?
No. Drone inspections are fully non-invasive and do not require shutdown. Data is collected while the PV system operates under normal irradiance conditions, making it ideal for identifying real-world performance issues without disrupting power production.