Drone solar panel surveys
Find faulty panels, cells and connections before they cost you output, with thermal and UHD 4K imagery of every panel.
Available Files: Thermal Imagery & Thermographer Reports
Every
Panel Checked
None
Access Required
Level 2
Thermographer
0
Days of Scaffold
Solar Panel Surveys
Solar panels are designed to be low maintenance, but they aren’t maintenance free. According to consumer group Which?, almost a quarter of solar panel owners have had a problem with their system.
A drone solar panel survey uses thermal imaging to check every panel while it’s generating. Faulty cells, diodes and connections run hotter than the panels around them, so problems stand out clearly, while close-up UHD 4K imagery shows cracks, soiling and damage.
Our Level 2 qualified thermographers tell you which panels are underperforming and why, so your installer can fix the right ones, protecting output and extending the life of your system.
Example Image Quality
Click each image to view example image quality
What Your Solar Panel Survey Includes
Every solar panel survey pairs thermal images with close-up 4K visuals, delivered digitally and ready to share with your installer.
| Deliverable | What it is | Included |
|---|---|---|
| Thermal imagery of every panel | Radiometric images captured while the system is generating, showing hot spots and faulty strings. | Standard |
| Close-up UHD 4K imagery | Visual images of every panel, showing cracks, soiling, bird damage and physical defects. | Standard |
| Roof overview | Overview images of the surrounding roof, fixings and cable runs. | Standard |
| Thermographer’s report | Written observations from our Level 2 qualified thermographer, with each fault clearly identified. | Standard |
| Digital delivery | A secure download link, ready to share with your installer, maintenance contractor or insurer. | Standard |
| Panel-by-panel fault map | Thermal images stitched into a map of the array, with faulty panels located by row and string. | Optional |
| Solar thermal collectors | Inspection of solar hot water systems, including flat plate collectors and evacuated tubes. | Optional |
Solar surveys are flown in bright, clear conditions while the system is generating, so faults show up clearly.
At a Glance
Capture
Thermal + 4K
Access required
Usually none
Best conditions
Bright sun
Analysed by
Thermographer
Scaffold needed
None
Coverage
Mainland UK
Get a Quote
Send us an address. We will come back the same working day with a price and a scope.
Common Solar Panel Faults We Find
Most solar faults can’t be seen from the ground, and some can’t be seen at all without thermal imaging. These are the most common:
Left unchecked, faults like these reduce output, shorten the life of your panels and in some cases create a fire risk. Thermal imaging finds them early, without anyone walking on the roof.
The result?
A clear picture of which panels are underperforming and why, so your installer can fix the right ones first.
Before you install
Pre-installation roof surveys
Solar panels stay on a roof for 25 years or more, so it pays to know the roof is sound before they go on. Removing and refitting panels to repair a roof later adds cost and disruption.
A pre-installation survey records the roof’s condition in UHD 4K, with optional thermal imaging to spot moisture or insulation problems underneath. Find out more about pre-installation surveys.
Fix roof problems first, instead of paying to remove and refit panels later.
CAA
CAA Operational Authorisation 11363
Fully insured, with £10m public liability and specialist UAV cover
Why drones
Why use a drone for your solar panel survey?
Getting close to rooftop panels usually means ladders, scaffolding and someone walking on the roof, which risks damaging the panels. A drone sees every panel from above, in a single visit.
- No one on the roof. Panels are inspected without foot traffic, ladders or scaffolding.
- Every panel checked. The whole array is captured in thermal and 4K, not just a sample.
- Faults the eye can’t see. Thermal imaging finds hot spots and failed diodes that look fine from the ground.
- Fast on large systems. Commercial roofs and solar farms are covered far quicker than on foot.
- A record over time. Repeat surveys show how your system is performing year to year.
Every panel captured in thermal and 4K, with no one on the roof.
Sectors We Cover
Solar panel surveys for homes & businesses
We survey domestic rooftop systems, commercial and industrial roofs, public buildings and ground-mounted solar farms across the UK.
Our service is suitable for
- ›Domestic rooftop solar PV systems
- ›Commercial and industrial rooftop arrays
- ›Warehouses, distribution centres and logistics hubs
- ›Schools, colleges and university estates
- ›Hospitals and healthcare buildings
- ›Local authority and public-sector buildings
- ›Housing association and social housing portfolios
- ›Farms and agricultural buildings
- ›Ground-mounted solar farms
- ›Carports and canopy-mounted systems
- ›Solar thermal hot water systems
- ›Multi-site property portfolios
For clients with systems across several sites, we build a consistent record of every array, helping teams compare performance and prioritise maintenance.
Why choose us
Why choose Drone Site Surveys?
Drone Site Surveys specialises in survey and inspection data capture, not general aerial photography. Our pilots inspect solar installations on commercial and domestic properties, and they know how to capture imagery that shows how each panel is actually performing.
Our drone-based thermal and visual cameras cover a whole array quickly and safely, with no one working at height. We plan each flight around the conditions solar thermography needs, such as strong sunlight and panels working under load. That lets us pick out hotspots, faulty cells, string and bypass diode failures, cracking and soiling. Every survey is reviewed by our BINDT Level 2 qualified thermographers, and our findings pinpoint the affected panels so you can target repairs and protect your system’s output.
Clients choose Drone Site Surveys for our specialist experience, professional standards and independent approach:
How it works
Our drone solar panel survey process
From first enquiry to secure delivery, every survey follows the same six steps, so you always know what happens next and when.
Tell us about the property
Email us the address with postcode, the size of the system and what you need, whether that’s a quick health check or a full thermographer’s report for insurance purposes. We’ll come back with the options available.
Planning and quote
We carry out a desktop assessment of the property and the surrounding airspace, check the survey against current UK drone regulations, and prepare your quote. You receive it by email with no obligation, along with the airspace map for your site and an example delivery so you can see exactly what you’ll be getting.
Booking your date
Once you’re happy with the quote we add your job to the schedule and start monitoring the Met Office forecast. In the meantime we prepare the pre-flight paperwork, including our risk assessment and method statement (RAMS), which we can send over for your records. As soon as we have a clear weather window and pilot availability, we confirm your attendance date. You don’t normally need to be on site.
The survey
Our CAA approved pilot captures every panel in thermal and UHD 4K while the system is generating, in the right conditions for accurate readings.
Processing
Every image is checked and organised into colour-coded folders. Any thermal analysis or reporting you’ve asked for is completed at this stage.
Delivery
We email you a link to our secure online portal, where your imagery, reports and any other agreed outputs are ready to view, download and share with your team or contractors. Alongside the deliverables you’ll find a folder containing the pre-flight paperwork, a copy of the drone airspace map for your site and any other relevant documents, so everything from the survey is in one place.
Request a Quote
Request a drone solar panel survey quote
Whether your output has dropped or you simply want peace of mind, we can tailor the survey to your system and your requirements.
Send us the address and a brief description of what you need, and we will come back with clear pricing and deliverable options.
Prefer to Speak to Us?
If you’d rather speak to one of the team, that’s no problem. Simply call the number below and one of our team will be more than happy to help.
Get a Quote
In The Know
Frequently Asked
Questions
Answers to the questions we are asked most often about drone solar panel surveys. If yours is not covered here, give us a call.
What is a drone solar panel survey?
A drone solar panel survey uses a radiometric thermal camera and a UHD 4K camera to inspect every panel in your system. Faulty cells, diodes and connections run hotter than the panels around them, so problems show up clearly on the thermal images.
What faults can a solar panel survey find?
Common faults include hot spots, bypass diode failures, cracked cells, potential induced degradation (PID), string and connection faults, soiling, shading and damage from birds.
When is the best time to survey solar panels?
Panels need to be generating, so we fly in bright, clear conditions. Industry guidance (IEC TS 62446-3) recommends irradiance of at least 600 W/m² for thermal inspection of PV modules, which in the UK usually means spring to early autumn, around the middle of the day.
How often should solar panels be inspected?
Many owners have their system checked every year or two, and after severe weather. Commercial systems and solar farms are often inspected annually as part of a maintenance plan.
Can you survey solar hot water panels?
Yes. As well as photovoltaic panels, we inspect solar thermal systems, including flat plate collectors and evacuated tubes.
What do I receive after a solar survey?
A report listing each anomaly with its location on the array, a thermal and visual image of the panel, and the likely fault, so your installer or O&M contractor can go straight to it.
Can you survey a roof before panels are installed?
Yes. A pre-installation survey records the roof’s condition before panels go on, so any repairs can be made first. Find out more about pre-installation surveys.
Do I need to be there during the survey?
Not usually. The system just needs to be running normally, and we need safe access to a take-off area near the property.
Can you survey solar farms?
Yes. We inspect everything from single rooftop systems to commercial arrays and solar farms, organising results by row and panel so faults are easy to find on site.