A method and apparatus are provided for detecting defects in a solar panel array (20), using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) (10). The UAV (10) has mounted thereon a pyranometer (12), a GPS receiver (13), a thermographic camera (14), a visual imaging camera (15) and a data logger (16). The method comprises the steps of: (i) mapping the location of panels (22) in a solar array (20); (ii) utilising mapped data collected in step (i) to generate an optimal waypoint flight path (24) for the UAV (10); (iii) transmitting the optimal waypoint flight path data (24) generated in step (ii) to the control means of the UAV (10); (iv) flying the UAV (10) over the solar array (20) using the optimal waypoint flight path (24), whilst simultaneously recording thermographic and visual imagery, and logging solar irradiance and GPS data; and (v) processing data logged in step (iv) to identify and report defective panels (22) by temperature gradient, with cross-referenced solar irradiance data, thermographic and visual imagery and GPS location data.
Utilising UAVs for detecting defects in solar panel arrays
2022-05-26
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
IPC: | B64C AEROPLANES , Flugzeuge |
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