Thermal imaging is an effective diagnostic tool for operating solar PV arrays. Defective cells or bypass diodes generate excess heat that appears as hotspots in infrared imagery captured by a thermal camera mounted on a UAV. Array-level thermal surveys can cover large commercial systems in a fraction of the time required for manual inspection, enabling targeted replacement or maintenance.
Effective thermal imaging requires the array to be at close to full operating power (typically above 50% irradiance) with low ambient wind speed to ensure sufficient temperature differential between healthy and defective cells. Solar Surveys drone technical survey services include thermal imaging as part of operational asset monitoring packages.