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ROBOT DISTRIBUTION

Updated

USE CASE · ENERGY AND SOLAR

Drone inspection of solar farms and industrial sites: thermal imaging and remote surveys

The drone flies over modules, roofs, networks and equipment and brings back visible and thermal images, piloted on site or launched from an automated dock. Technicians keep the analysis, decisions and repairs.

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A drone takes off from its DJI Dock 3 station at the edge of a ground-mounted solar farm for an inspection mission.

IN BRIEF

Updated

  1. An inspection drone captures visible and thermal infrared images of solar farms, substations, roofs and industrial equipment to locate defects and hot spots.

  2. The DJI Dock 3 houses a drone that flies up to 54 min, recharges it from 15 to 95% in 27 min and covers a 10 km operating radius, according to its manufacturer.

  3. Robot Distribution delivers it, defines the flight missions with you, trains your remote pilots and maintains it, to buy, rent or as RaaS.

WHY

Drone inspection of solar and industrial sites

A solar farm has tens of thousands of modules; an industrial site has roofs, stacks, tanks and lines that are hard to reach. Inspecting them on foot or from a lift takes time, exposes teams and leaves long gaps between checks.

In one flight the drone brings back geotagged visible and thermal images that reveal faulty modules, hot spots and damage. An automated station, known as drone-in-a-box, keeps it on site, ready to take off for a scheduled mission or after an alarm. In Europe these flights fall under Regulations (EU) 2019/947 and 2019/945; beyond-visual-line-of-sight flights and automated docks generally fall within EASA's 'specific' category.

HOW IT RUNS

How a drone inspection runs.

  1. Defining the missions

    We list the assets to inspect, the frequency and the data required: visible images, thermography, 3D models. The choice ranges from a drone piloted on site to an automated dock installed permanently.

  2. Regulation and flight plans

    Depending on the flight category, we prepare the declarations or authorisations with the national authority (the DGAC in France) and draw the site's automated flight plans.

  3. Inspection flights

    The drone follows its flight plan and captures images. The Autel EVO Max 4T V2 combines a 48 MP zoom camera, a 640 × 512 thermal camera and a 5 to 1,200 m laser rangefinder, according to its manufacturer.

  4. Analysis and reports

    The geotagged images are analysed to locate defects and hot spots, then passed to the maintenance teams who plan the work.

A technician prepares the flight plan on a tablet beside the open DJI Dock 3 station on a solar farm site.
The technician plans the mission before the first flight.
The DJI Dock 3 drone flies over rows of solar panels for a thermal inspection.
The drone flies over the rows, capturing visible and thermal images.

THE ROBOTS

Inspection drones in our catalogue.

  • DJI Dock 3

    DJI Dock 3

    Professional drones

    Ingress protection
    IP56
    Key feature
    54 min flight time
    Key feature
    10 km operating radius
    On order
    From €16,790 ex VATor €569/month in RaaS
  • Skydio Dock for X10

    Skydio

    Skydio Dock for X10

    Professional drones

    Ingress protection
    IP55
    Key feature
    12 km max range
    Key feature
    Airborne in 20 s
    On order
    Price on request
  • Autel EVO Max 4T V2

    Autel EVO Max 4T V2

    Professional drones

    Key feature
    42 min flight time
    Ingress protection
    IP43
    Key feature
    640×512 thermal
    On order
    From €9,490 ex VATor €319/month in RaaS
  • Percepto Air Max

    Percepto Air Max

    Professional drones

    Key feature
    61 MP RGB camera
    Key feature
    Radiometric thermal
    Key feature
    24/7 on-site operation
    On order
    Price on request
  • Flyability Elios 3

    Flyability Elios 3

    Professional drones

    Key feature
    16,000 lm lighting
    Key feature
    12.5–17 min flight time
    Key feature
    LiDAR SLAM, no GPS needed
    On order
    From €73,390 ex VATor €2,499/month in RaaS
  • JOUAV CW-15

    JOUAV CW-15

    Professional drones

    Payload
    3 kg
    Key feature
    180 min endurance
    Maximum speed
    61 km/h
    On order
    Price on request
The whole solution · Energy and solar

BEFORE INSTALLING

What the site survey checks before commissioning.

  1. Extent and distances

    Site area and distance to the assets guide the aircraft type: the JOUAV CW-15, a vertical take-off fixed-wing drone, flies up to 180 min without payload, according to its manufacturer.

  2. Airspace and surroundings

    Nearby aerodromes, restricted zones, roads and homes determine the flight category and the authorisations needed.

  3. Dock location

    For an automated dock we check the location, power, network link and weather exposure: the DJI Dock 3 is rated IP56 and works from −30 to 50 °C, according to its manufacturer.

  4. Confined spaces

    Tanks, boilers and tunnels need a protected drone: the caged Flyability Elios 3 navigates by LiDAR without GPS and carries 16,000 lm of lighting, according to its manufacturer.

RULES AND STANDARDS

Rules and standards for inspecting solar farms and industrial sites by drone

Beyond the general EU drone rules, four texts shape how an inspection programme on a solar farm or plant is set up in France.

  1. PDRA-G03 for routine site inspections

    For repeated inspections outside the standard scenarios, the DSAC (French civil aviation safety authority) issues the authorisation after a SORA risk assessment. It provides a French template of EASA's PDRA-G03, written for routine inspections of sites and infrastructure on predefined routes, below 30 m above the surveyed area (or 15 m above obstacles, never above 50 m), with a direct command link. Check whether your flight plans fit it.

  2. ZICAD zones: where imaging is banned

    Aerial data capture is prohibited in ZICAD zones, which replaced the former ZIPVA zones under article D. 133-10 of the French Civil Aviation Code; the zone list is set by orders of 2 January 2023 and 26 June 2024. Before planning visible or thermal imaging flights, check whether the site or its approach lies in one of these zones.

  3. IEC TS 62446-3 for PV thermography

    This IEC technical specification defines outdoor infrared inspection of PV modules and plants in operation. It sets requirements for the measurement equipment, ambient conditions, inspection procedure, reporting, personnel qualification, and a matrix for classifying thermal abnormalities. Ask whether thermal reports are produced to this method, so results can be compared between campaigns and contractors.

  4. Confined spaces: an inspection is still an intervention

    INRS asks employers to check first that a person really needs to enter a tank, silo or boiler. It also states that even a visual inspection counts as an intervention, covered by an operating protocol, a permit to enter, atmosphere measurements and a dedicated outside watcher. A drone sent in from the opening can reduce entries; any entry that remains follows that procedure.

Official sources

  1. Exploitation de drones en catégorie spécifique · Ministère de la Transition écologique (DGAC) · accessed
  2. IEC TS 62446-3:2017 Photovoltaic (PV) systems – Part 3: Photovoltaic modules and plants – Outdoor infrared thermography · IEC · accessed
  3. Espaces confinés – Prévenir les risques · INRS · accessed

General information, not legal advice.

FAQ

Operators' questions about drone inspection.

Which regulations cover drone inspection?

In Europe, Regulations (EU) 2019/947 and 2019/945. Flights beyond the remote pilot's visual line of sight and automated docks generally fall within the 'specific' category, with an authorisation from the national authority. The Autel EVO Max 4T V2 holds an EU C2 class certificate, according to its manufacturer.

Can a drone fly without a pilot on site?

Yes, from an automated dock: the Skydio Dock for X10 gets its drone airborne in 20 s and the Percepto Air Max stays on site 24/7 in a base fitted with a weather station, according to their manufacturers. These flights need a suitable authorisation and remote supervision.

Does the drone find faulty solar modules?

It captures the signs: the thermal camera shows up hot spots. The Matrice 4TD drone of the DJI Dock 3 carries a 640 × 512 thermal imager, and the Percepto Air Max a 61 MP RGB camera with radiometric thermal imaging, according to their manufacturers. Image analysis then points to the modules to check.

What flight time should we expect?

According to the manufacturer: up to 54 min for the DJI Dock 3 drone, 42 min for the Autel EVO Max 4T V2, 12.5 to 17 min for the Flyability Elios 3 and up to 180 min without payload for the JOUAV CW-15. A dock recharges the drone between missions.

Can we inspect the inside of a tank or boiler?

Yes, with a drone built for confined spaces: the Flyability Elios 3 is protected by a cage, maps in 3D with LiDAR and accepts ultrasonic thickness, radiation or gas sensors, according to its manufacturer.

USE CASES

Tell us about your site and the assets to inspect. We propose the drone and how to operate it.

Robots, acquisition mode and delivery terms, in one written proposal.

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