Aerial thermography
for arrays that have to perform.
CT Aero delivers IEC 62446-3 commercial solar thermal inspections for EPCs, O&M contractors, and asset owners across Florida. Module-level fault localization, string-configuration mapping, and defensible documentation for warranty claims, commissioning acceptance, and recurring O&M cycles.
Solar thermal inspection across the array lifecycle.
EPC acceptance documentation.
Baseline thermal inspection at project turnover. Identifies module defects, wiring faults, and installation issues before the array enters the O&M phase. Establishes warranty-supporting documentation from day zero. Delivered as part of the EPC's substantial completion package.
Annual and quarterly inspections.
Scheduled thermal surveys on annual or quarterly cadence for O&M contractors. Module-level fault registry with string association for maintenance targeting. Energy-loss quantification for underperforming zones. Report format supports work-order generation and performance-guarantee tracking.
Defensible documentation for claims.
Standards-cited thermal documentation for warranty claim substantiation. IEC 62446-3 methodology holds up with module manufacturers and warranty administrators. Defect categorization per the standard's classification framework — not vague "hot spot" language that carriers discount.
Cell-level to string-level defects, without pulling personnel onto the array.
Every defective module changes how it releases heat under load. That thermal signature is measurable with radiometric imagery and diagnostic when interpreted against IEC 62446-3's classification framework. What we identify:
- ▸ Bypass diode failures and hot spots at the cell level
- ▸ Potential-induced degradation (PID) patterns across strings
- ▸ Junction box faults and connector failures
- ▸ Substring failures indicated by uniform module underperformance
- ▸ Cell cracks, delamination, and encapsulant failure
- ▸ Soiling patterns affecting array-wide production
Every anomaly is GPS-tagged, module-referenced against the array's string configuration, and classified per IEC 62446-3 severity so the O&M team can prioritize work orders against actual production impact.
The array and the roof are one system. Inspect them that way.
Rooftop solar arrays don't fail in isolation. A roof membrane compromise threatens the array. An array racking failure damages the roof. A hurricane damages both. Insurance carriers, manufacturers, and O&M contractors all care about which came first — and only a coordinated inspection answers that question defensibly.
CT Aero delivers rooftop solar inspections that document the entire system in a single deployment. Radiometric thermal captures both the roof assembly (per ASTM C1153 methodology) and the PV array (per IEC 62446-3), tied to a single georeferenced orthomosaic. One flight, two standards, two overlaid deliverables.
- ▸ Pre-installation baseline. Roof thermal survey before solar mounts go in — protects both roof warranty and future solar warranty claims by documenting roof condition at time zero.
- ▸ Warranty interplay. When solar production drops, roof leaks appear, or hail damage shows up, coordinated documentation prevents finger-pointing between the roofing manufacturer, EPC, and O&M contractor.
- ▸ Post-storm assessment. Hurricane damage to a rooftop array requires both structural (racking, modules) and roof (membrane, penetrations, flashing) evaluation. Split inspections miss the interface.
- ▸ Portfolio-level programs. Property managers with rooftop solar across multiple buildings benefit from annual combined thermal surveys — roof moisture per C1153 and array performance per IEC 62446-3 in one recurring scope.
- ▸ Insurance renewal support. Combined documentation supports property insurance and solar-specific insurance policy renewals with a single defensible record.
Flying over energized equipment is not a hobby operation.
A commercial solar array is a live electrical system. A downed drone on a rooftop array can damage modules, disable strings, and expose the owner to fault-clearing cost. A downed drone on a ground-mount system can strike energized equipment. CT Aero's founder is a former U.S. Navy P-8 Plane Commander and active FAA Airline Transport Pilot Captain — the aviation discipline applied to every flight is the difference between a routine inspection and an insurance claim.
Missions are briefed, procedures documented, weather thresholds verified before takeoff, and RTH altitude confirmed against array geometry. Not because it's required by law — because it's how professional aviators fly, whether the aircraft has one seat or two hundred.