Drone for Solar Panel Inspection
Drone for Solar Panel Inspection
Drone For Solar Inspection : Most companies and individuals has adopted the use of solar energy to generate electricity. Solar panels are mounted on areas prone to sunlight like on top the roof or desert, like the solar power plant in the Mojave Desert which supplies power to the electricity grid. Using solar energy to produce electricity can help increase electricity in some countries. In Nigeria private individuals mount solar panel because of the unstable power supply in the country, companies that requires electricity to manufacture their products cannot bear the challenges of uninterrupted electricity in the country. Because of these challenges, companies do have stand by generators or they use solar energy by installing solar panels.
Installing solar panels are quite expensive and it also needs inspections and inspection of solar panel involves periodic assessment and checks for damages and its durability. This can be done by sending an inspector to location of the solar panel. Panels located on the roof tops requires the inspector to climb on top of the roof. Likewise, panels in the desert requires the inspector to visit to the desert. This traditional process of inspection by humans involves a lot of risk. In the desert, the degree of hotness is actually high. Inspection in the desert at an average temperature of 38C is really harsh and this might lead to burns in the skin. Climbing the roof top is another risk involved and to avoid these risk, drones can be used to carry out the inspection. A drone does not require an on-board pilot. It removes the human away from the scene and reduces the risk involved. Drone inspect the solar panel by capturing infrared images which displays the panels. These images are further assessed and analysed and the damages are detected if any. Normal aerial images are also captured (not infrared) which can be used to check the amount of dust on the panel.
Benefits of Drones in Solar Panel Inspection
- Fast Inspection: Using drone for solar panel inspection is faster than the use of the traditional method of inspection. Then time it takes an inspector to climb the roof to do his or her job, a drone can just be deployed and controlled within minutes and with less energy.
- Cost Reduction: Inspection done using drone are always at a fracture of the cost of using the conventional method. It is affordable than the use of helicopters in inspection of large solar plants.
- Safety and Risk Reduction: It is very safe when using drone for inspection. It reduces the risk involved in the process. Thereby saving lives and putting human inspectors aside.
- Easy Operation: Operating drone can be easily done by professional and experts. Instead of following the traditional method which is more stressful and tedious, a drone can just fly over the panel and take series of images easily.
Geospatial Research Limited, a Leading Drone Services, Land Surveying and GIS Consultancy Company have a trained drone pilot and equipment which can help in the inspection of solar panels.
Please see the use of drone in mining industries
