TIM LightWeight camera for drone thermography

Defective solar cells can destroy an entire module. Thermography is therefore a great preventative maintenance technique for use on photovoltaics installations: any noticeable differences in temperature can be used to reliably detect electrical, mechanical, installation and processing related defects, including short circuits, inactive cells, moisture and poorly soldered joints. As part of scheduled maintenance operations, thermography can provide valuable information for resolving warranty claims.

Inspections using infrared cameras are performed in a non-contact, non-destructive manner from a safe distance. The new miniature thermoIMAGER TIM LightWeight IR camera from Micro-Epsilon is an excellent choice for use on a multicopter (a small, remote-controlled helicopter with four or more blades, often referred to as a quadcopter or drone). Design factors to consider when using an IR camera as part of flight operations include low weight, autonomous control and sufficiently high camera resolution to ensure high-quality IR images.

The high-resolution infrared camera offers an optical resolution of 382x288 pixels, with a thermal resolution of up to 40mK. The thermoIMAGER TIM LightWeight is the lightest thermography system for flight applications available on the market.

Follow the links to find out more about the TIM LightWeight thermal imaging camera and to watch a short video showing the camera mounted on a drone for defect analysis.