Correct Settings of a Joint Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and Infrared Camera System for the Detection of Faulty Photovoltaic Modules

Abstract

The technological development of photovoltaic (PV) devices (perovskite-based or bifacial modules, etc.) has progressed considerably, but the commercial PV modules do not show analogous improvements and their efficiency is still low. Therefore, a diagnostic tool that can check the current operation of installed PV modules and their aging is important. In this scenario, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), equipped with a camera, infrared (IR) camera, or both, represents a new avenue for the fast evaluation of faults for large or not easily accessible PV plants and the discovery of defective PV modules. Thermography has the advantage of not disconnecting the PV system during the inspection. Nevertheless, some specific parameters, such as the emissivity, the reflected temperature, and the resolution, are fixed during the acquisition, even if their values are dependent on the mutual position (distance and angle) between the IR camera and the PV modules. The movement of the UAV, equipped with an IR camera, modifies the position of the IR camera, and due to this movement, the values of the parameters can be incorrect during acquisition, which also results in errors in the radiometric map. In this article, we explore these issues and provide suggestions to ensure the correct acquisition and reading of thermal images of PV modules.