PV thermography needs at least 600 W/m² irradiance as a guide value, little cloud and little wind, otherwise we move the appointment. The thermal camera measures surface temperatures, microcracks in the module are not visible with it. Procedure and evaluation are in accordance with IEC TS 62446-3, the report is not a certification and not an acceptance. The cause of a finding is confirmed by a qualified electrician on site.
- Commercial roof and ground mounted
- Working across Europe
- Repeatable as PV Check
On a system with several hundred or thousand modules, monitoring shows that yield is missing, but not where. A walk through with a handheld camera takes days. From the air we capture the whole system in one appointment, and the evaluation assigns every finding to a specific module.
Example: rooftop system in Celje
Commercial hall, 100 kWp, 426 modules. Flight on 29 September 2026 in twelve minutes, cloudless and without wind, irradiance 731 W/m². 249 radiometric thermal images at about 12 mm per pixel, the standard allows at most 3 cm. Result: a string failure with 17 modules, plus 19 modules at level defect, 6 at level warning and 16 to observe, no module at level critical. The full description is under References.
What the report contains
- Every module with number and coordinate, modules with findings marked in the 3D model of the system
- Classification in five levels: normal, observe, warning, defect, critical
- Thermal image and image in the visible spectrum for every finding
- Measurement conditions: irradiance, weather, distance and image resolution, temperature difference normalised to 1000 W/m²
- Service report for the team on site, in several languages on request
- On request the radiometric raw data for your own evaluation
Working across Europe
Many operators have plants in several countries. We inspect them everywhere with the same method and the same five levels, so the reports can be compared directly. Our registration and remote pilot certificates are valid in all EU member states under EU law. Where an additional local permit is needed, we obtain it before the job. Reports are available in German, English or Slovenian.
For operators of several systems
If the module numbering stays the same over the years, the reports become comparable and you see whether a finding changes. We offer this recurring inspection as PV Check. Several systems in one region are flown on one day.
Your benefits
- The whole system in one appointment, without shutdown and without walking the module rows
- Every finding assigned to a module, your service technician goes straight to it
- Assessment in five levels, so it is clear what to check first
- Measurement conditions documented, the report stays traceable and comparable with later inspections
Applications
Commercial roof · Ground mounted · Plants across Europe · Documentation before acceptance and before the end of warranty · Recurring inspection
How it works
- 01System data and site plan, where available
- 02Flight planning, coordination with the operator and appointment at suitable irradiance
- 03Flight with radiometric thermal camera and RTK
- 04Evaluation and inspection report within 24 to 48 hours
Suitable for
Operators and owners of PV systems · Installers and EPC · Asset managers · Insurers · Experts
In monitoring, a string failure only shows up as slightly lower yield. In the thermal image you see which string it is, and your technician knows where to start before driving out.