Thermographic inspections of solar photovoltaic plants in India using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: Analysing the gap between theory and practice

Aerial inspection of solar PV plants using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) is gaining traction due to benefits such as no downtime and cost-effectiveness. This technology is proven to be the low-cost alternative to conventional approaches involving visual inspection and I-V curve tracing to identify physical damages and underperforming strings, respectively. Though the use of UAVs for thermographic solar PV inspection is a popular alternative in developed countries, its use in developing economies experience various challenges. Studies emphasizing these challenges especially in the context of rapid evolution of drones are limited. To overcome this limitation, literature scoping, a one-on-one survey, focus group discussion, and a flight campaign using a UAV with a thermal payload is conducted in India to identify the limitations. These are further categorized into Technical, Behavioural, Implementation, Pre-deployment, Deployment, and Post-deployment categories. The relevance and significance of each challenge are analysed using a hybrid multi-criteria framework developed in this study. Findings of this study highlight the importance of drone regulations, technology readiness, and workshops for drone pilots, industry professionals, and solar developers in India. This study aid developing economies in devising strategies that can promote the use of UAVs for solar PV plant commissioning activities.