Drone Solar Panel Inspection

Use our thorough drone thermal PV inspections, reports, and analytics to get the most out of your Solar PV System.

Commercial or Residential – Book Your Solar Panel Inspection Today

Build-IR Drone Solar Specialists

In recent years it has become increasing common to see Solar PV Systems installed in residential areas across the UK. They offer a simple and cost-effective way to generate electricity when installed in a suitable location.

The UK Government has also undertaken plans to construct a number of solar power stations and more solar farms are built each year. As such, it is vital to have professional drone solar specialists such as Build IR who can aid both residential and commercial clients in evaluating the state of a PV system.

As all solar panels generate electricity from the sun, they are placed externally – meaning they will be regularly subjected to the elements and experience erosion at a quicker rate.

It is crucial that these panels undergo routine inspections and maintenance to ensure they continue to function optimally. A licensed professional solar panel aerial photographer is the ideal solution for this problem. Via the usage of our drone equipment both visual and thermographic imagery can be taken of solar panels without it being necessary to physically assess them.

The result of this is lower prices, increased efficiency, and decreased risks of any accidents occurring in the workplace (either for the solar assessor or anyone who could be obstructed during a manual assessment).

The use of drone technology has completely transformed the process of inspecting solar panels on farms. Due to the sheer scale of these farms, it is likely that there will be some physical damage, obstructing dirt or mechanical problems which need quickly identifying and correcting.

Build IR thermal inspections are able to detect issues in a matter of minutes and save significant amounts of money on maintenance and repair costs.

Our Solar Drone Inpsection Service:

Build IR solar drone thermography allows our clients to receive a large number of benefits in relation to the running of their Solar PV or Solar Farm Systems.

Our drones can detect a large number of issues within your solar panels, including:

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Bird & Snail Debris

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DC Ground Faults

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Defective Diodes

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Delamination & Internal Corrosion

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Electrical Issues

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Faulty Cells

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Panel Shadowing

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PID Faults

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String Faults

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Surface Cracks & Breaks

Photovoltaic Solar Panel Inspections

A significant majority of UK Solar PV Panels are situated on sloping roofs due to the standard roofing structure here. Unfortunately, this can make it increasingly difficult for manual surveys to be carried out.

More often than not, before a manual survey can be carried out, cherry pickers need to be organised and an array of scaffolding needs erecting, all of which comes with an expensive bill. This is before the survey has even begun!

Not only is this time consuming and expensive, but there is an increased risk of damaging the roof area being surveyed and causing other additional problems.

Because of this, it is understandable for many solar panel owners, both residentially and commercially based, to neglect their maintenance checks. This choice to ignore checking on a PV system can also be supported by it being an expense which may seem pointless if no faults or causes for concern are found within the panels.

By choosing to use our Solar Panel Inspection services, the need for manual labour and expenses such as erecting scaffolding is either greatly reduced, or in some aspects removed completely. Scaffolding will only be required in areas where repairs are needed.

Not only can our clients remove many of the logistical requirements needed in a manual survey, but more accurate and real time data capture can be carried out in a shorter timeframe.

Drone Solar Imaging Examples:

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Solar PV Inspection?

In order to detect defective photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, which heat up as a result of connection problems, physical damage, or debris, a field inspection of these panels typically requires the use of two sensors: infrared (IR) cameras and daylight cameras.

Drone Specialists such as Build IR are ideal for conducting these inspections due to the lower cost, faster turnaround and reduced disruption of workplaces in comparison to manual inspections.

Do Solar Panels Need Inspecting?

Your PV system might be able to function without inspection or maintenance, but if it is serviced and inspected on a regular basis, your investment will have a much better chance of living up to your expectations.

What Do Drone Use To Inspect Solar Panels?

Using thermal imaging, a qualified Build IR inspector equipped with either a UAV drone or Quadcopter drone and a thermographic camera can easily identify any solar panel which is not functioning as efficiently as it should.

This is accomplished by analysing the areas of the photovoltaic system which require readjusting, cleaning, or all together replacing.

How Many Inspections Do Solar PV Systems Need Annually?

Since solar panels do not contain any moving parts, they require very little in the way of service and upkeep.

At Build IR, we recommend scheduling an annual service for your solar panels to ensure they continue to generate electricity as effectively as possible. This will ensure that your system is kept in full working order and that any problems or decreases in generation are identified and fixed as soon as possible.