Solar Panel Inspection

Who it is for

• Homeowners in Hamilton, Cambridge, Te Awamutu and across the Waikato wanting a health check on a rooftop system
• Farm owners with arrays on sheds, dairy sheds or the ground
• Commercial owners and asset managers reviewing larger roof arrays
• Installers and electricians needing clear thermal evidence for commissioning, warranty or fault-finding

Flight overview

• Array layout review and safe flight plan
• Thermal pass across modules under suitable irradiance where possible
• Close RGB documentation of suspect modules
• 640×512 native thermal with Super Resolution up to 1280×1024 for finer detail
• Flown from the ground with a DJI Matrice 4T under CAA Part 101, so nobody needs to get on the roof

Deliverables

• Thermal overview of the array
• Flagged modules with temperature context
• RGB close-ups of issues found
• Simple report you can pass to your installer or electrician

Turnaround

Usually 2–5 business days. Best results need decent sun — we schedule for conditions, not just the calendar.

Coverage

Waikato and wider North Island by arrangement.

Solar panel inspection in the Waikato

A solar array can lose output for months without anyone noticing. A failed cell, a faulty bypass diode or a string that has dropped offline rarely shows from the ground, and an inverter app usually only tells you generation is down, not where. A thermal drone flight shows the whole array at once, so problem modules stand out against their neighbours.

SkyVector is based in the Waikato. We inspect home, farm and commercial arrays across Hamilton, Cambridge, Te Awamutu and the wider region, from a few panels on a house roof to larger systems on sheds, dairy sheds and commercial buildings.

What a thermal drone finds

Healthy panels in steady sun warm up fairly evenly. Faults change that pattern, and the thermal camera picks up the difference. These are the things we typically flag:

• Hot cells and hot spots. A single cell or small area noticeably warmer than the rest of the module. Common causes include cracked or damaged cells, poor solder joints and debris sitting on the glass.
• Bypass diode faults. A regular warm band, often about a third of a module, running hotter than the rest. This pattern usually means a bypass diode has switched in or failed, so that section of the panel isn't contributing.
• String outages. A whole row or group of modules reading differently from the rest of the array. That often points to a string that has stopped producing, for example because of a connector, fuse or isolator problem.
• Soiling clues. Patchy warm spots that match bird droppings, lichen, dust or leaf build-up. Sometimes a clean is all that's needed.
• Shading clues. Warm areas that line up with vents, aerials, chimneys or nearby trees. These help show whether part of the array is losing output at certain times of day.

Thermal imaging shows temperature differences, not a diagnosis. Each flagged module comes with a photo and temperature context, so the technician knows exactly where to look.

How we fly a solar inspection

Mike flies a DJI Matrice 4T, which carries a 640×512 radiometric thermal camera alongside a high-resolution visual camera. Radiometric means every pixel records a temperature value, so we can compare modules against each other rather than just look at colours.

Conditions matter more for solar than for almost any other thermal job. Faults only show clearly when the panels are generating under strong, steady sunlight (high irradiance), so we plan flights for clear-sky periods in the middle part of the day and avoid patchy cloud, which makes readings jump around. Your system needs to be switched on and running normally. We also choose camera angles that avoid reflections of the sun and sky in the glass, which can look like false hot spots.

Every flight is under CAA Part 101: daylight, within visual line of sight, at or below 120 m, with the property owner's consent and air traffic control clearance where the site needs it. We fly from the ground, so nobody needs to get on the roof.

What happens with the findings

You get the deliverables listed above: a thermal overview of the array, flagged modules with temperature context, RGB close-ups of any issues and a simple report. Pass it to your installer or a qualified solar or electrical technician. They confirm the cause, test the system and carry out any repairs or warranty claims. SkyVector doesn't do electrical work and doesn't certify electrical compliance.

Want the roof checked on the same flight? See thermal roof inspection. In Hamilton? See thermal imaging in Hamilton and drone services in Hamilton.

If you also want the roof itself checked for heat loss or moisture clues, see our thermal roof inspections. Hamilton owners can read more about thermal imaging in Hamilton. Timing matters for any thermal flight; our field note on choosing a thermal flight window explains why.