Thermal Imaging

Applications

What thermal finds

A thermal sensor measures surface temperature, not color. That makes it the fastest way to locate problems that are invisible in daylight — and to find them across an entire site in a single flight.

Roof moisture surveys

Wet insulation retains heat after sunset and glows against a cooled roof surface. A post-sunset thermal flight maps saturated areas across an entire roof — so repairs target the actual failure instead of replacing everything.

Flown after sunset for thermal contrast
Moisture areas mapped and marked
Repair-scope documentation for bids

Solar array inspection

Failed cells, bypass diode faults, and disconnected strings run hot and show instantly from the air. An array that takes days to check by hand is surveyed in one flight.

Hot-spot & cell-failure detection
String & combiner fault location
Panel-level anomaly mapping

Electrical & mechanical

Loose or corroded connections heat up long before they fail. Aerial thermal lets us survey energized switchgear, transformers, and substation equipment from a safe standoff distance.

Overheating connection detection
Safe standoff from energized gear
Preventive maintenance records

Building envelope & energy

Missing insulation, air leakage, and thermal bridging appear as clear temperature differences across a facade — useful for energy audits, commissioning, and warranty disputes.

Heat-loss & air-leakage mapping
Insulation gap identification
Pre- and post-retrofit comparison

Sample output

Thermal imagery from the field

Radiometric capture retains a temperature value at every pixel — so findings aren't a matter of opinion. Below, solar inspection work flown in Kansas.

Radiometric thermal image with spot temperature measurements on a roof line and solar panel

SPOT MEASUREMENT — ROOF LINE 173°F vs PANEL 142°F

Aerial thermal survey of a roof-mounted solar array

ROOF-MOUNTED ARRAY — PANEL-LEVEL THERMAL SURVEY

Aerial thermal image of a solar panel row under load

ARRAY ROW — UNIFORM THERMAL SIGNATURE

Temperature differentials across an array reveal underperforming panels, failed cells, and connection faults in a single flight — work that takes days to check panel by panel from the ground.

How it works

Conditions matter as much as equipment

Thermal imaging is only as good as the conditions it is flown in. We plan around them rather than around the calendar.

Timing

Roof and envelope surveys are flown after sunset, when retained heat produces maximum contrast. Solar arrays are flown under high irradiance.

Weather

Dry, low-wind, clear-sky conditions produce clean data. We reschedule rather than deliver a survey that can't support a conclusion.

Deliverable

Radiometric imagery with temperature data retained per pixel, paired visual captures, and an annotated summary of findings.