As a solution that offers speed, safety, accuracy, and cost-effectiveness, the use of luminescence imaging for inspecting photovoltaic modules is the future of the solar industry. Implementing this technology with drones promises to bring a revolutionary change to how we inspect solar panels. This approach can significantly increase the efficiency of the inspection process and enable us to monitor large solar panel fields.
The imaging system consists of a laser and a camera, both optimized for weight and size. These components can be integrated into two main types of systems: handheld devices and drone-based systems. Embedding the imaging system on a drone offers several advantages, such as faster scanning speeds and the ability to access remote locations, like rooftops.
By adding a high-precision GPS to the drone's payload, the system becomes fully independent and doesn't require any additional data from the drone's flight controller. This means it can be easily mounted on any compatible drone.
The C-RED 3 camera is capable of capturing full-frame images at a resolution of 640 x 512 pixels and a speed of 600 frames per second. This high-speed scanning capability allows for rapid and thorough inspections.
First Light Imaging, in collaboration with Creative Sight™, Optoprim, and the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), has developed an innovative drone-based solution called LIPI (Laser Induced Photoluminescence Imaging) for quickly and accurately inspecting operational photovoltaic plants. This project brings luminescence imaging technology to drones and field applications.
The LIPI drone solution incorporates the C-RED 3 camera, an industrial-grade SWIR camera designed for high-quality machine vision tasks. This camera can capture images at very high speeds (up to 600 frames per second in full frame) and performs exceptionally well with short exposure times.
To help customers stay ahead in their markets, the C-RED 3 camera is available in an OEM version, which can accelerate custom development and mechanical integration efforts.
