UK solar panel drone inspections — find every fault
Book a CAA-verified thermal drone pilot to inspect residential, commercial and utility-scale PV. Hot spots, string faults, PID and underperforming modules — all mapped in a single flight, in a report your O&M team can act on.
Thermal + visual
Radiometric thermal alongside RGB imagery — every anomaly annotated and cross-referenced to the array layout.
Fault-level detail
Cell hot spots, bypass diode failures, string faults, PID, soiling and physical damage — module by module.
IEC-aligned reporting
Reports aligned with IEC 62446-3 categorisation so your O&M team can prioritise repairs and warranty claims.
Utility scale ready
Efficient flight planning for large solar farms — typically 5–10 MW per pilot per day depending on layout.
CAA-verified pilots
Every pilot is CAA-authorised, insured and camera-calibrated. You see credentials before the flight.
Nationwide coverage
Thermal-equipped pilots across the UK — residential, commercial or utility, we cover it.
How it works
- Step 01
Send the array details
Location, capacity, layout and any known issues. We'll advise on the best window for thermal capture.
- Step 02
Pilot matched
Closest thermal-qualified pilot with radiometric payload is dispatched.
- Step 03
Flight on site
The array is captured under load with irradiance above ~600 W/m² — the only way to get accurate thermal signatures.
- Step 04
Report delivered
Module-level fault map, thermal imagery and IEC-aligned observations delivered within 48 hours.
Typical UK solar drone inspection prices: £250–£450 for residential PV, £500–£1,500 for commercial rooftop, and per-MW / per-site quotes for utility-scale solar farms. Founding members lock in 10% off every flight for life.
Full UK drone pilot price guideStandards, regulation and professional bodies
Solar thermal surveys are flown by pilots trained through a CAA approved training provider and registered on the CAA drone and model aircraft register.
Thermographic reporting follows IEC TS 62446 3 principles and is prepared in formats compatible with BINDT qualified thermographers. The network follows the professional standards promoted by ARPAS UK.
Frequently asked questions
What faults does a solar drone inspection find?▾
Thermal drone inspections detect hot spots, cell mismatch, bypass diode failures, string faults, PID (potential-induced degradation), soiling and physical damage — anything that reduces PV output.
How much does a solar drone inspection cost?▾
Residential PV inspections typically run £250–£450. Commercial rooftop arrays £500–£1,500 depending on size. Utility-scale solar farms are quoted per MW or per site.
Do I get a report I can act on?▾
Yes. Every solar inspection produces a structured report — module-level fault map, thermal imagery, IEC 62446-3 aligned observations and clear priorities for O&M.
Do you inspect solar farms?▾
Yes — utility-scale solar farms are one of the most common use cases. We have thermal-equipped pilots across the UK who can survey multi-MW sites efficiently.
Does the array need to be running?▾
Yes. Thermal PV inspections require the array to be under load and irradiance above ~600 W/m². Our pilots plan the flight around weather and generation.
Ready to get started?
Every pilot on the Drone Assisted network is CAA-verified, insured and reference-checked.
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