SOLAR / PHOTOVOLTAIC THERMAL IMAGING

Maximise your energy production using drone thermal imaging

Discover faulty cells, panels and string errors with purpose-built thermal imaging drones.

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Covid-19 Secure: iRed® is compliant with latest government guidance, including hand-washing, social distancing and PPE for on-site working

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Photovoltaic thermal imaging surveys in accordance with BS EN ISO 62446

Maximise Energy Production

Accurately locate costly string errors that could otherwise affect the performance of entire rows.

Identify Faults

Faulty cells operate at a temperature different to normal cells, making them easy to detect with thermal cameras.

Find Obstructions

Detect organic debris and flammable materials that could cause risks to equipment and the environment.

UK’S LEADING PROVIDER OF THERMAL IMAGING SURVEYS

iRed® is the largest independent thermal imaging consultancy in the UK. As the preferred supplier for NHBC and leading home-builders nationwide, you can trust that your building is in safe hands with us.

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SOLAR PANEL MANAGEMENT

Catch faults and issues that traditional inspections miss

Say goodbye to manually inspecting panels and mountains of raw data. Confidently answer the question “are my solar panels working effectively?” with visual, easy-to-understand thermal imaging reports that highlight every fault on your site.

SOLAR PANEL INSPECTIONS

Up to 80% faster than standard inspections

Instead of hiring teams of electrical surveyors for several days, our surveys can typically be conducted with a two-man team in a single day.

Resolve heat loss issues quickly and conclusively

Residential and commercial building thermal imaging surveys in accordance with BS EN ISO 13187 and BRE 176.

What We Find

Faulty Cells
String Errors
Defective Diodes
PID Faults
Organic Debris

Where We Find It

Solar Farms
Residential Solar Panels
Commercial Building Solar Panels
Photovoltaic Installations
Solar Parks

“iRed have proved themselves to be very flexible in fitting in with our policies and procedures, the engineers have been very efficient and I have been impressed with the final presentation of the results.”

Paul Harding, NHS

“iRed’s professionalism is apparent in both their approach to the client on site and to the report production aspect which is delivered in an easy to understand and visually pleasing format.”

Adrian Caulk, Scottish & Southern Energy

“As a business, iRed have proved their worth time and time again. The professionalism of the office staff, united with engineer know-how of thermographic engineers is a formidable team.”

Trevor May, EMCOR

TRUSTED BY OVER 2,500+ CUSTOMERS

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Certified Inspectors

We’re proud to have the largest team of certified category 2/3 thermal inspectors in the UK.

Nationwide Surveys

We’re proud to be trusted by over 2,500 customers across a broad range of industries nationwide.

Latest Technology

In partnership with FLIR and DJI, we only use the very latest commercial inspection tools and sensors.

3 SIMPLE STEPS FOR BOOKING YOUR SURVEY

STEP ONE

GET YOUR FREE ESTIMATE

Simply fill in our free estimate form and we’ll send you back a free estimate the same day.

STEP TWO

THERMAL IMAGING SURVEY

We start our pre-survey checks 24 hours before the survey, keeping you updated along the way.

STEP THREE

YOUR DIGITAL REPORT

Our industry-leading reports are delivered within 3-5 days, signed off by qualified thermographers.

Questions? Call our team on 01243 370 296 or email [email protected]

We’re approved and accredited

We’re proud to maintain a number of accreditations, certifications, awards and affiliations from national and global organisations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is thermal imaging?

Thermal imaging (also known as ‘Infrared Thermography’) uses heat-sensitive cameras to detect subtle differences in temperature. These cameras can detect temperature differences of less than 1ºC.

Originally designed for military use, thermal cameras are often seen used for search and rescue. Other applications include firefighters, who use the technology to see through smoke.

For non-contact measurement, thermal cameras can identify, capture and assess heat loss. This is used to inspect buildings, electrical equipment, rotating machinery and devices.

How do you undertake a photovoltaic survey?

When it comes to photovoltaic thermal imaging surveys, you have a few options:

80m Drone Flight

Operating at a height of 80 metres provides a quick and efficient overview of a photovoltaic site, allowing for the swift identification of significant thermal anomalies. Due to the height of these solar surveys, individual fault analysis cannot be conducted and temperature values will not be collected.

30m Drone Flight

Operating at a height of 30 metres enables our thermal cameras to capture faults and anomalies at a much greater resolution, allowing for the individual identification of faults. Conducting a solar survey at 30 metres complies with ISO BS EN 62446-3:2016, and allows for accurate temperature values to be collected and analysed from the radiometric data.

Ground-Based Thermal Survey

Ground-based thermal imaging surveys enable us to use advanced infrared cameras, providing greater control over settings and improving the quality of captured data. This increased resolution allows for detailed fault analysis, and as such complies with the requirements set out in BS EN ISO 62446-3.

Inspecting photovoltaic panels from the ground enables surveys to be conducted with lower immittance levels, and provides a close-up view of the elements on the underside of a panel such as module boxes, wiring, joints and combiner boxes. Inspecting the underside of panels also means that surveys can be conducted without the adverse effects of solar reflection.

Ground-based surveys are often used in conjunction with an 80 metre drone flight.

Why use certified thermal inspectors?

Our engineers hold PCN Category 2 & 3 thermal imaging qualifications – accredited by the British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing – which meet the requirements for undertaking solar thermal surveys to IEC 62446-3:2017 (Non-Destructive Testing – Outdoor Infrared Thermography of Photovoltaic Modules and Plants) and BS EN ISO 62446-1:2016 standards.

Why people and companies choose iRed®…

Other companies

Not qualified to national standards
Not qualified for thermal image analysis
Insufficient company insurance
Low-resolution thermal cameras
No aerial surveying capabilities
Little to no image explanation or analysis

Why companies use iRed®

Our inspectors are accredited to ISO 18436 / ISO 6781 standards
Comprehensive reports certified to Level 4 standards
£5m Public & £10m Employers liability insurance
Highest-resolution thermal imaging cameras in the UK
CAA Approved Drone Inspectors (ID. 2082)
Aftercare troubleshooting and advice

Ready to get started?

Book your thermal imaging survey today