Aerial thermography is a term worth finding out more about. Its uses are vast, and it has most likely been part of making it possible to power your life!
Globally we are facing a power shortage unless as a planet we continue to seek alternative methods of power generation and aerial thermography is an integral part of maintaining ongoing supply. Aerial thermography is simply infrared heat mapping of data from a drone. It can also be done from helicopters however for this article, we are focussing on drone applications.
It makes sense to seek a sustainable power source that does not run out and that is solar power, which means capturing the energy of the sun and converting it into power. To do this solar cells are used, also called photovoltaic (PV) cells and we need a lot of them to be viable. These cells need constant maintenance and the best way to monitor the cells is through aerial thermography.
This is the process of measuring the heat from a PV cell and converting it into a usable digital image. Then the results of the aerial thermography can be reviewed, and decisions can be made.
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What is aerial thermography?
Aerial thermography is an inspection tool for sourcing usable information in the solar energy industry. As a heat signature is emitted from a solar cell, it can be measured using a thermal drone.
The drone carries special thermal imaging cameras that use a specific heat-measuring camera lens that scans electromagnetic wavelength and converts the signal into a heat image map. The differences in wavelength are how any faults, defects and weaknesses are determined.
Aerial thermography replaces old and less reliable visual inspections.
What is aerial thermography used for? What industries or sectors utilize this technology?
Aerial thermography is used in the energy sector where solar assets are utilized. It provides a source of truth as to the status of a solar cell. The amount of data gathered far outweighs visual inspections therefore reducing workforce and saving money. As the method detects heat signatures, it can also be used wherever a heat measurement is required.
Here is a list of other uses of aerial thermography:
- Search and Rescue
- Roof and Building Inspections
- Firefighting
- Wildlife Monitoring
- Agriculture
- Law Enforcement
- Pipeline Inspection
- Environmental Monitoring
- Mining
- Solar panels and solar industry
- Security and Surveillance
What can thermography detect?
Thermography can detect precise temperature information in any object producing heat and present it in a color-coded heat map. Every object has a normal heat picture and thermography can display differences needing further investigation. Being deployed in a drone means that more hardware can be scanned efficiently.
Some of the faults that aerial thermography can detect are:
- Cell Failure
- Module Connection Error
- Cracked Panel Error
- Diode/Lehim Fault
- Delamination
- String Error
- Ghosting Error
What are aerial thermographic inspections?
Aerial thermographic inspections are the activity of using a drone carrying an infrared camera to film video and still images from solar and other sites with the specific purpose of scanning temperature. The drone is flown over vast solar cells in a grid pattern to ensure the entire area is covered. The data from the heat spectrum is collected and processed into a heat map for the client.
How much does a thermographic inspection cost?
The cost of aerial thermographic inspection overall is far cheaper than manual visual inspections and varies depending on the needs of the client. If you need a basic inspection it can be as low as USD$30-USD$120 per acre however if your task requires high fidelity equipment such as LIDAR (light detecting and ranging) technology you need to budget for around USD$2000-USD$5000 per day.
- 640 x 512 px Thermal Camera
- 48MP Visual Camera
- 32 x Digital Zoom
What kind of devices and equipment are used for thermographic inspections?
To conduct aerial thermography effectively, you will need a combination of specialized equipment. Here is a list of essential tools and devices:
A high-resolution thermal camera – capable of capturing infrared images is fundamental for detecting temperature variations.
Aircraft or Drone – which is the platform to carry the thermal camera and is essential for capturing aerial images of the surveyed area.
Flight Controller – a reliable flight controller is crucial to ensure stable and controlled flight during the survey.
GPS System – To enable precise location mapping, an accurate GPS device is necessary for geotagging thermal images.
Data Logger – to record important flight parameters and thermal data during the survey for later analysis.
Remote Control System – to allow the operator to control the flight path and camera settings.
Battery Packs – to ensure comprehensive coverage, sufficient battery packs to power both the thermal camera and the aerial platform for an extended period.
Thermal Calibration Targets – To ensure accurate temperature measurements, targets with known temperatures (like a default setting) are used for calibrating the thermal camera.
Ground Control Points (GCPs) – to assist in accurately aligning and georeferencing the thermal images, improving the overall precision of the survey.
Image Processing Software – for processing and analyzing thermal images, allowing for the identification of anomalies and the generation of reports.
Telemetry System – for real-time monitoring of the drone’s status, telemetry systems provide valuable information on altitude, speed, and battery levels.
Weather Station – monitoring weather conditions is crucial before and during the survey to ensure safe and optimal data collection.
Storage Devices – sufficient storage devices for storing large volumes of high-resolution thermal images collected during the survey.
Safety Equipment – including high-visibility vests and any necessary permits or permissions required for aerial surveys.
What are the benefits of aerial thermography?
Accuracy – overcoming limitations of visual inspection using infrared radiation frequencies. The data is collected and presented in a heat map format.
Speed and Efficiency – larger areas can be scanned in a shorter time and less invasive on the environment.
Cost savings – when a client can get accurate data, ongoing maintenance scheduling can be improved, staff numbers can be streamlined, and service disruptions can be reduced. All of this is a benefit to the bottom line.
Safety – data collection can be done from a safe distance.
Less disruption – as it is done from a drone, business can usually continue as usual.
Which defects can be identified with thermography?
Various thermal anomalies can be identified with thermography in solar installations, providing essential insights into potential issues. These anomalies include faulty heat modules, where the entire surface exhibits abnormal temperatures, and heated substrings, revealing areas of increased heat. Hotspots appear as isolated areas with heightened temperatures, and multiple hot cells indicate more than one heated cell on a module.
Other abnormalities include recurring irregular heat patterns. Tracker faults are seen as inaccuracies in the tracker array’s sun tracking and the absence or malfunctioning of modules can also be detected.
How accurate is aerial thermography?
Aerial thermography is far more accurate than visual inspection. Just how much more accurate depends on several factors such as quality of drone equipment, attention to detail of flight planning, adherence to commercial grade control points for GPS comparison, and type of software used.
Many aerial thermography providers claim it is possible to have accuracy down to 2-3cm horizontally and 5-6cm vertically however generally put in writing around double that for guarantee.
Who performs thermography?
Many companies can provide aerial thermography services and delivery of data includes a pilot for the drone and a team to analyze and repurpose the data tailored for a particular client. An example is Fly Guys.
How long does an inspection take?
An aerial thermography inspection takes approximately 1% of the time compared to a manual inspection. For example, a solar farm that would take a person to do a manual inspection can take around 25 hours whereas an aerial application can be as little as 1 hour to gather the data.
The processing of the data for presentation to a client is also faster in aerial application due to the data being automatically uploaded.
Are there other names or terms for aerial thermography?
Aerial thermography is often referred to by alternative phrases with the common theme being the heat or infrared technique for gathering thermographic data, through thermal and visual images.
Some other phrases are thermography, thermal testing, infrared testing, thermal imaging, infrared thermometry, PV solar panel inspection, and thermographic imagery.
The use of the word ‘aerial’ before thermography specifically refers to airborne data gathering.
Conclusion
Aerial thermography already is rapidly becoming a necessary part of running our world and its uses are likely to expand into uses not even invented yet. The accuracy of data gathering it provides far outweighs the old-fashioned way of sending a human out into the field.
Although this can sometimes cause fear amongst labor groups, the good news is that there will still be work, it will just shift into different skills.
If you want to advise your kids on a growth area, then becoming a drone pilot or an engineer in the aerial thermography field looks like a promising way to make some money!
