Today, solar operators are in charge of huge, remote assets where problems can go unnoticed for months. It takes time to do manual checks, plus they don’t cover a lot of ground and often miss early-stage problems that affect performance at the string or module level.
Above Surveying Australia and AUAV work together to fill in these gaps by using AI analytics and automated reporting to improve the accuracy of solar drone farm inspection workflows.
This joint approach gives asset owners the information they need to increase yield, cut down time taken on fault response, and get rid of the ongoing cost of sending teams to remote sites.
Above Surveying Technology
Above Surveying is known around the world for its inspection systems that focus on solar energy and its AI-driven reporting. Their technology is made specifically for utility-scale PV operations, where detecting problems quickly is important for maintaining output and protecting investments over time.
SolarGain: AI Solar Farm Inspection Analytics
SolarGain processes thermal and visual datasets to give operational teams clear, reliable results:
- Keeps track of how faults evolve over time.
- Determines hotspots, cell damage, string problems, and underperforming areas.
- Makes structured reports for EPCs, insurance companies, and asset owners.
- Supports comparison across multiple solar farms in a portfolio.
This level of automation cuts down on long manual review cycles and gives asset managers a reliable record of their asset health.
Solar Drone Farm Inspection Capabilities
AUAV uses Above Surveying’s dual thermal and visual workflows to carry out accurate, repeatable solar farm surveys across large assets.
Key outcomes:
- Rapid coverage of thousands of panels per hour.
- High-resolution thermal maps to locate electrical and temperature-related faults.
- Visual datasets for physical issues including cracking, misalignment, shading, and soiling.
- Clear solar farm analytics delivered through SolarGain.
- Minimal on-site disruption.
This method removes the uncertainty found in manual checks and provides consistent data for long-term asset planning.
Solar Farm Construction Monitoring
Above Surveying has developed automated tools for monitoring construction that are now widely used by EPC and owner teams.
Construction reporting includes:
- Measuring progress every week or month.
- Quantified summaries that can be used for progress claims.
- Installation of high-resolution orthomosaics tracking frames and fitting out of modules.
- Inspection of the trenches, cables, inverter placement, and finished rows.
This helps keep everyone accountable on complicated multi-stage builds, cut down on disputes, and reduce delays.
Drone-in-a-Box for Ongoing Solar Monitoring
A lot of solar farms are far away from operations teams. With the drone-in-a-box system, automated, frequent, on-site flights are possible with little human involvement.
Benefits:
- Inspections every day or on a set schedule without staff deployment.
- Quick checks after storms or other unexpected downtime.
- Immediate investigation when SCADA flags performance problems.
- Lower travel cost, higher uptime, and better access to assets.
This approach gives you a consistent awareness of PV assets that are geographically remote.
Key Applications Across the Solar Sector
AUAV’s skilled pilots, surveyors, and analysts use Above Surveying’s systems for a wide range of solar projects:
Utility-Scale Solar Operations
- Identify and sort out electrical problems.
- Review inverter zones and full-string behaviour.
- Detect emerging degradation patterns.
Construction Projects
- Document and quantify progress.
- Confirm as-built layouts at each stage.
- Support contract and payment verification.
Portfolio Asset Management
- Examine conditions on several farms.
- Maintain consistent reporting for financiers, insurers, and owners.
Remote Solar Assets
- Remote location monitoring using a drone-in-a-box.
- Quick reaction to possible on-site incidents.
How Do AUAV and Above Surveying Deliver Better Outcomes?
| Feature |
Above Surveying + AUAV |
Traditional Ground Methods |
|
Coverage |
High volume, consistent |
Limited and time-consuming |
|
Fault detection |
AI-driven |
Manual and subjective |
|
Construction progress |
Automated measurement |
Manual checks |
|
Safety |
Low risk |
Higher exposure |
|
Speed |
Fast reporting |
Slow, labour-intensive |
Additional advantages for asset owners:
- Fewer visits to the site and lower costs of doing business.
- Faster confirmation of faults and improved uptime.
- Reliable, repeatable datasets for long-term planning.
- Clear reporting accepted by insurers and EPCs.
Credentials & Delivery Quality
AUAV strengthens Above Surveying’s technology with highly trained local teams:
- CASA-certified drone pilots.
- Operating procedures that follow ISO standards.
- Full-time technical staff expert in solar environments.
- Ability to connect outputs to GIS, asset management systems, and digital twins.
- Proven delivery across Australia, the UK, Europe, and the US.
This combination gives asset owners a dependable service with a consistent standard globally.
Book a Solar Farm Drone Inspection or Request a Sample Report
AUAV delivers advanced solar farm surveys, construction monitoring, and AI-driven analytics through its partnership with Above Surveying. For more information across Australia, the UK, Europe, or the US, get in touch at contact@auav.com.au
FAQs
What does Above Surveying’s drone solar farm inspection detect?
Thermal and visual datasets detect electrical problems, physical damage, shading problems, and temperature changes in large solar arrays.
How often should solar farm surveys be carried out?
Full inspections are done once a year, but many operators also do quarterly checks or use automated drone-in-a-box flights to find problems faster
How does SolarGain support operations teams?
It classifies faults, weighs results over time, and makes structured reports that are beneficial in making technical and business decisions.
Can this support construction projects?
Yes. Automated progress measurement is often used for progress claims, checking contractors, and reporting based on time.
Why choose drone-in-a-box for remote solar assets?
It cuts down on the need to travel and allows for more frequent inspections, which helps keep the generating capacity higher.
Can this be used across a large portfolio?
Yes. SolarGain allows asset managers access to identical, uniform information for all the sites in their portfolio.
