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In this video we will be inspecting a 2.6MW solar carport with a drone using thermal imaging. We will first take a walk around the perimeter to check for any possible obstacles that could affect the flight. Next, we talk you through the drone equipment for this inspection along with the importance of preparing for weather conditions including checking for wind speeds with an anemometer and how we use a solar irradiance meter to determine the watts per meter squared (W/M2).

This carport has a unique angle for the arrays, so setting up the gimbal pitch is an important part of preparing for the flight. We also touch on the importance of knowing your surroundings, especially if your flight is in public spaces. Having someone else with you throughout the inspection to answer questions as people approach you will allow you to continue working uninterrupted.

Once our equipment is set up we go over the flight plan for this mission and finish up our flight checklists. Part of this discussion is how we determine the inspection flight altitude using the height of the panels from the ground, and why we need this information.

Next, we start the flight and show you the image capture screens live as we fly. While we fly we speak into the importance of these solar carport installations along with the benefits they provide such as shade, lighting, and electric vehicle charging stations.

As we progress through the flight we walk through several anomalies that were spotted during the inspection including cell hot spots, bypass diodes, and several obstructions. Finally, we will deep dive into thermography color palettes, explaining how they work, and which one is the best for solar inspections. As we close out this inspection we will debrief the workflow and mention a few helpful resources to learn more about using drones to inspect solar panels.

#drone #dronemapping #dronesoftware

►Resources
Drone Thermal Cameras: Everything You Need to Know https://thedronelifenj.com/dronether...

6 Major Benefits of Aerial Thermography for Solar Inspections
https://thedronelifenj.com/benefitso...

►Equipment Used in this Video
BT 100 Pro Anemometer https://amzn.to/3gH9O0c
DBTU1300 Solar Irradiance Meter https://amzn.to/2Y3FBSh

►Our MustHave Drone Equipment Checklist
✅ Budget Friendly Ground Control Points (GCPs) http://bit.ly/3nAT2pH
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✅ Collapsable Orange Safety Cones http://bit.ly/40Tr2fp
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✅ Wind Speed Anemometer Gauge http://bit.ly/3ZCaYO5
✅ Best Flight Planning Tablet http://bit.ly/40Dci4q
✅ Handheld VHF Airband Transceiver http://bit.ly/40AyLPP

►About The Drone Life
The Drone Life is an industryleading UAS service provider that provides turnkey aerial data solutions nationwide. We proudly specialize in the industrial, environmental, renewable, and construction industries. Our team consists of highly experienced, dependable, and licensed drone professionals that are committed to safety, quality, and customer success.

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►Chapters
Intro 0:00
Flight Procedures 1:01
Inspection Factors 4:01
The Role of Solar Carports 8:01
Flying & Reviewing Anomalies 9:43
Thermography Color Palettes 12:53
Inspection Recap 15:25