Drone Solar Panel Inspection
A thermal camera flown over an array finds the modules that are underperforming without anyone walking the rows with a handheld imager. This page covers what a scan detects, what it cannot, and how to brief one so the results are usable.
- Free to post
- No commission on the job
- Part 107 certified pilots
117 inspection pilots ready to quoteAcross 37 states & regions
Faults you cannot see
A module running hot is failing in a way visual inspection misses entirely. Thermal imaging separates hot spots, bypass-diode failures, cracked cells and whole dead strings by their heat signature and their pattern across the array.
Whole-array coverage
A flight covers in an hour what a ground crew covers in a day, and it covers it evenly. That matters for comparison: the value of a scan is knowing which 40 modules of 8,000 to send someone to, not confirming the array exists.
A report, not a photo dump
What you want back is a per-module fault list keyed to row and position, with the thermal frames as evidence. Ask for that explicitly when you post — the deliverable format varies more between pilots than the flying does.
Free to post
Posting and receiving quotes costs nothing, and SkyLog takes no commission and adds no markup. You pay the pilot you hire, at the price the two of you agree.
What this settles
- Cracked cells, bypassed diodes, hot spots and whole dead strings across an array in a single pass.
- A baseline at commissioning, which catches installation damage while someone else is still liable.
- A comparable annual series — the useful question is rarely how hot a module is, but whether it is hotter than last year.
- Post-event assessment after hail, storm or major maintenance.
What it does not
- Work under cloud or early in the morning. Below roughly 500-600 W/m² of irradiance nothing has heated enough to differ from anything else.
- Support a warranty claim from non-radiometric imagery. A thermal picture shows relative warmth; only radiometric data carries a temperature per pixel.
- Diagnose the electrical cause. It localises the fault; someone still has to open the combiner.
- Hold to a fixed date reliably. This is weather-dependent work — build a reschedule into the plan.
Not every pilot with a thermal camera carries a radiometric one, so asking for it changes who can quote. Say so in the post rather than discovering the difference when the report arrives.
How it works
Three steps, no account needed to start, and nothing to pay at any point in it.
- 1
Describe the job
The questions adapt to the type of work — area for a mapping job, access and asset for an inspection — so the quotes come back accurate.
- 2
Pilots quote it
Every pilot whose service area and services match is notified. You get itemised quotes back with their credentials, kit and sample work attached.
- 3
Compare and hire
Pick on price, proximity or portfolio, and pay the pilot directly. SkyLog takes no cut and adds no markup to what you agree.
Inspection pilots with published profiles
Real published profiles. Open any one to see credentials, kit, service area and sample work before you post.
chris aldridge
Texas, United States
20 work samples
I’m a commercial drone pilot providing aerial mapping, property line overlays, topographic mapping, construction site data, radiometric thermal inspections, 3D modeling, real estate listing photography and video, property marketing, and professional aerial imagery for businesses and landowners.
Real estateWeddingEventInspectionMapping / surveyFilm / TVConstructionOther- George Benes
Oregon, United States
13 work samples
I've been a Part 107 drone pilot since 2019, working with Pacific Northwest clients on Real estate, construction progress, mapping, telecom inspections, architectural photography and events. I am very flexible and can provide deliverables within 24 - 48 hours. I take great pride in my work and having a photography business, my delivered photos are edited and culled to the best of the best. I worked for 30+ years as a commercial construction Superintendent, managing multi-million dollar construction projects and this experience allows me to be very safety oriented and knowledgeable on construction sites, providing the construction companies with usable deliverables that they can share with all stakeholders involved in their building project.
Real estateEventInspectionMapping / surveyConstruction 
Andy Jones
California, United States
12 work samples
FAA Part 107 Certified Remote Pilot based in Southern California, specializing in construction documentation, infrastructure inspections, mapping, orthomosaics, and aerial imagery. With more than two decades of experience managing complex federal construction projects, I understand the importance of accuracy, safety, and delivering actionable data—not just photos. I operate professional DJI Enterprise aircraft, including the DJI Matrice 4E, DJI Matrice 4T, as well as the DJI Air 3S for high-resolution imaging and the DJI Neo 2 for specialized close-range operations. My services include construction progress documentation, roof and property inspections, land development, infrastructure photography, photogrammetry, mapping, and custom aerial imaging. I also conduct search operations for lost pets using aerial search techniques and thermal imaging. Every mission is conducted in compliance with FAA regulations, with careful mission planning, clear communication, and a commitment to delivering high-quality results on schedule. Whether you need a single inspection or recurring project documentation, my goal is to provide reliable aerial data you can confidently use to make decisions.
Real estateEventInspectionMapping / surveyConstructionAgricultureOtherFilm / TVWedding
George Colonna
Maryland, United States
12 work samples
Started flying drones for General Dynamics Robotics Systems in 2009 as the subject matter expert and lead test engineer for RCTA and a program called the Soldier Machine Interface. We developed leader/follower code for up-armored autonomous assets a full decade before Google fielded their driverless car "train" and a UI that let soldiers/marines plan missions on the ground and in the air. My job was to ensure the software worked, more importantly, met customer requirements. Working in the field afforded me a wealth of experience regarding process and implementation, but also how to think critically and resolve issues on the fly. If interested in learning more about my credentials, please see my website. My current fleet is primarily DJI and Autel. I have RTK capability and a complete field kit to sustain remote operations for several days.
InspectionMapping / surveyConstructionOtherFilm / TV- K Enagonio
Tennessee, United States
10 work samples
I've been flying since 2015 and specialize in both cinematic filmmaking as well as surveying, construction, sensitive infrastructure capture, and music videos and events.
Film / TVConstructionInspectionEventAgricultureReal estateMapping / surveyOther 
Casey Jones
Arizona, United States
9 work samples
FAA Part 107 commercial drone pilot specializing in RTK mapping, aerial photography, thermal imaging, property documentation, construction progress, and detailed site capture. I operate professional DJI aircraft including the Matrice 4E and Matrice 4T, with RTK capability for repeatable, high-quality data collection. I approach each assignment as a complete mission, from airspace and site planning through safe flight operations, field verification, data handling, and final delivery. I serve clients throughout the California, Nevada, and Arizona tri-state region and am available for both individual assignments and multi-site projects.
Real estateEventMapping / surveyConstructionAgricultureOtherInspection
Drone inspection pilots by state
Radiometric or not — the one spec that matters
A standard thermal camera produces a picture where colour means relative temperature within that frame. A radiometric sensor records an actual temperature value for every pixel, which is what lets a report say a module is running eighteen degrees above its neighbours rather than that it looks brighter. If anyone is going to make a warranty claim or trend the array year on year, the data needs to be radiometric, and you should say so in the post rather than discovering the difference when the report arrives. Not every pilot with a thermal camera carries a radiometric one, so it changes who can quote.
Conditions decide whether the flight is worth flying
Thermal contrast depends on the array actually working hard. The usual guidance is at least 500-600 W/m² of irradiance, clear skies, light wind and a scan around the middle of the day — fly it under cloud or early in the morning and the faults simply do not show, because nothing has heated up enough to differ from anything else. That makes solar scanning weather-dependent in a way most drone work is not, so build a reschedule into the plan and treat a pilot who raises conditions unprompted as a good sign rather than an awkward one.
When to fly, and how often
Three moments earn a scan: at commissioning, to establish a baseline and catch installation damage while someone else is still liable; annually, to track degradation and find new faults while they are still small; and after any hail, storm or major maintenance. An annual cycle also gives you a comparable series, which is worth more than any single scan — the useful question is rarely how hot a module is, but whether it is hotter than it was last year.
Common questions
How large an array can be scanned in one visit?
Site size, battery swaps and airspace all decide it, so ask the pilot to state the coverage they can complete in a day for your layout. Large utility-scale sites are routinely flown over several days rather than one.
What does a thermal scan not tell you?
It finds modules behaving abnormally; it does not diagnose why. Soiling, shading, a wiring fault and a failing cell can present similarly, so a scan narrows where to send a technician rather than replacing one.
Do we need to shut the plant down?
No — the opposite. The array needs to be generating for faults to show thermally, so scans are flown while the plant is running under good irradiance.
What deliverables should we ask for?
A fault list keyed to row and module position, the radiometric thermal imagery, an overview orthomosaic for context, and the flight conditions on the day. That last one is what makes this year's scan comparable with next year's.
Is an FAA authorisation needed?
Only if the site sits in controlled airspace, which many rural solar farms do not. Where it applies it has a lead time, so give the pilot the site address when you post rather than at scheduling.
Related drone services
Post your array free
Say the array size, the location and whether you need radiometric data, and let inspection pilots carrying thermal payloads quote it. No commission, no obligation to hire.
- No commission, ever
- Part 107 certified pilots
- No obligation to hire
Prices and guidance on this page were last reviewed .