USING THERMAL IMAGING

DRONES FOR SOLAR FIELD /

PV INSPECTIONS
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction________________________________________________________________ 3
Comparing Manual Electric Testing to Drone
Thermal Imaging for Solar Inspections__________________________________________ 4-5
The Problem Checklist__________________________________________________________ 4
How Drone Thermal Imaging for Solar Inspections Can Help_______________________________ 5
How To Use Drone Thermal Imaging and Best Practices for Solar Inspections__________ 6-8
Environmental Conditions_______________________________________________________ 6
Hardware Considerations_______________________________________________________ 7
How to Ensure Accurate Data____________________________________________________ 8
Other Factors that Influence Emissivity______________________________________________ 8
Considerations Before Hiring a Service Provider_________________________________ 9-10
Regulations_________________________________________________________________ 9
Insurance___________________________________________________________________ 9
Experience__________________________________________________________________ 9
Software__________________________________________________________________ 10
Detailed Deliverables_________________________________________________________ 10
Timelines__________________________________________________________________ 10
Limitations of Thermal Drone Inspections_______________________________________ 11
Camera Limitations___________________________________________________________ 11
Environmental Limitations______________________________________________________ 11
Irradiance and Operating Status__________________________________________________ 11
Coverage and Flight Times______________________________________________________ 11
Conclusion_______________________________________________________________ 12
 INTRODUCTION

Scale Photovoltaic (PV) Field Efficiency and Output with Drone Thermal Imaging Inspections

Thanks to continued improvements in thermal imaging hardware, For asset owners, PV inspectors, and drone service providers to
software and drone technology, it is now possible to greatly meet the growing demand of PV inspection and maintenance,
improve the efficiency and accuracy of solar, or photovoltaic these stakeholders must develop a deep understanding of
(PV), inspections than ever before. The current practice of thermography, flight operations, and other factors to take full
manual electric testing is not sustainable at scale and results in advantage of the benefits of drone-based solar inspection. This
slower PV field build outs, increased inefficiencies in identifying will also enable those energy stakeholders and asset owners,
potential problems, and delayed repairs to faulty panels. specifically, to further maximize efficiencies and outputs from
their respective PV fields.
Meanwhile, solar energy use continues to grow dramatically.
According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), With this in mind, this paper discusses the
solar use in the U.S. has experienced an average annual growth following topics:
rate of 50 percent in the last decade, fueled in part by the Solar
Investment Tax Credit (ITC) and an estimated 70 percent drop in • THE PRESENT STATE OF PV FIELD INSPECTIONS
solar install costs during the past decade. SEIA anticipates that • THE BENEFITS OF LEVERAGING DRONES WITH DUAL
total installed U.S. PV capacity will more than double over the THERMAL AND VISIBLE CAMERA SYSTEMS
next five years. By 2023, more than 14 GW of PV capacity will • HOW THERMAL IMAGING-ENABLED DRONES IS
be installed annually. With installations expected to total 240 CONDUCTED IN THE FIELD
GW by 2030, Credit Suisse is also seeing strong markets in the • WHAT QUESTIONS TO ASK A POTENTIAL DRONE
Middle East, Europe, and Latin America as well as the U.S. as INSPECTION SERVICE PROVIDER
solar power becomes increasingly cost effective in relation to
• AND THE LIMITATIONS OF USING THERMAL IMAGING
traditional, fossil-fuel power creation. DRONES FOR PV INSPECTIONS

ANNUAL U.S. SOLAR INSTALLATIONS

CREDIT: Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables / Solar Energy Industries Association

14,000
YEARLY INSTALLED SOLAR CAPACITY (MWdc)

12,000
ITC EXTENDED
& EXPANDED ITC EXTENDED
10,000
ITC EXTENDED
ITC CREATED
8,000

6,000

4,000

2,000

0
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

RESIDENTIAL, PV NON-RESI, PV UTILITY, PV UTILITY, CSP

Note the significant increases in solar installations that coincide with the Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC).

3
 COMPARING MANUAL ELECTRIC TESTING TO
DRONE THERMAL IMAGING FOR SOLAR INSPECTIONS

Currently, manual electrical testing is the de facto method of inspecting PV fields. Known as IV Curve Tracing, the test is the current
industry standard for inspecting and evaluating performance of a solar array. It’s applied by trained, highly skilled technicians using
handheld testing kits during only ideal environmental conditions—such as dry, relatively clear weather with little to no wind.

For the test to be valid, panels must reach a certain irradiance level and then the panel must meet a minimum and defined watt per
square meter.

Each string, or a row of panels, scheduled to be tested, must be unplugged from the array and plugged into the manual electrical
testing device. In addition to the issue of scale, technicians must manually interpret test results to determine the health of the field.
This takes hours or days for a small site, let alone for a large 100-acre array.

THE PROBLEM CHECKLIST

At a high level, technicians look for five different types of impairments:

1. SERIES LOSSES: In a series connected

configuration with a current mismatch, se-
vere power reductions are experienced if the FROM A SOLAR CELL TO A PV SYSTEM
poorly performing cell produces less current
than the maximum power current of the cells SOLAR CELL
in good working order. Furthermore, if the
combination is operated at short circuit or low
voltages, the high power dissipation in the
poorly performing cell can cause irreversible SOLAR MODULE
damage to the entire module in question.

2. SHUNT LOSSES: Low shunt resistance

causes power losses in solar cells by provid- PV-SYSTEM
ing an alternate current path for the light-gen-
ELECTRICITY METER
erated current. Such a diversion reduces the
AC ISOLATOR
amount of current flowing through the solar
FUSEBOX
cell junction and reduces the voltage from the
INVERTER
solar cell.
BATTERY

3. MISMATCH LOSSES: Mismatch losses CHARGE CONTROLLER SOLAR

are caused by the interconnection of solar GENERATION METER ARRAY
cells or modules which do not have identi- DC ISOLATOR

cal properties, or which experience different CABLING

conditions from one another. MOUNTING

TRACKING SYSTEM SOLAR PANEL
4. REDUCED CURRENT LOSSES: A type of
mismatch loss, such as air pollution, or soft
soiling, that may reduce the current but not
necessarily the voltage

5. REDUCED VOLTAGE LOSSES: Another

type of mismatch loss, such as a soiled pan-
el from bird droppings that will decrease the
voltage output of the PV module.
Photovoltaic (PV) Module: packaged, connected assembly
of solar cells that generates and supply “solar” electricity

4
HOW DRONE THERMAL IMAGING FOR SOLAR INSPECTIONS CAN HELP

To complement and enhance NORMAL I-V CURVE

manual electrical testing, the
ISC
use of drone thermal imaging for
solar inspections—also known as SHUNT
aerial thermography—is growing REDUCED
LOSSES
in popularity, mostly due to the CURRENT
speed and level of detail that the SERIES
technology package can provide.

CURRENT
LOSSES
Whereas the manual inspection
of a small PV field may take hours
or days, a drone thermal imaging
inspection of hundreds of acres— MISMATCH
LOSSES
including panel cell-level defect (INCLUDING
analysis—can be accomplished in SHADING)
a single day.
REDUCED VOLTAGE
Longwave infrared (LWIR) cameras,
also known as thermal imaging, VOC
detect the infrared band of the VOLTAGE
electromagnetic spectrum, which
allows them to “see” in total SOURCE: FIELD APPLICATIONS FOR I-V CURVE TRACERS, PAUL HERNDAY
darkness, through obscurants Average inspection is 10-20% of the strings/site
such as fog and smoke, measure
temperature, and accurately detect
anomalies. Aerial thermal imaging
cameras make it easy to quickly
inspect a large target area and pinpoint solar panel problems. of a thermal only payload could potentially lead to false positives
They streamline the completion of a qualitative analysis by my mis-identifying these same issues (e.g. bird excrement) as
allowing the operator to quickly see heat differentials across a electrical anomalies. Therefore, using thermal cameras paired
solar field. Using an RGB, or visible light, camera only will limit with RGB cameras as part of a drone sensor suite provides both
the capabilities to detecting non-electrical issues like soiling, the required visible awareness and context to effectively spot
shading, bird excrement and animal nesting. The exclusive use anomalies in the field.

GAMMA RAYS X-RAYS ULTRAVIOLET VISIBLE INFRARED MICROWAVE RADIO

LIGHT

SEE IN SEE THROUGH MEASURE ENHANCED LONG ACCURATELY DETECT

TOTAL DARKNESS OBSCURANTS TEMPERATURE RANGE IMAGING PEOPLE & ANIMALS

5
 HOW TO USE DRONE THERMAL SPOT SIZE RATIO

IMAGING FOR SOLAR INSPECTIONS MINIMUM

MAXIMUM
DISTANCE
SURFACE
FOR 10 PIXEL SPOT
DIMENSIONS (CM)
SIZE (M)

With the results of a professional drone thermal imaging solar inspection in hand,
5 3.8 
crosschecked with the RGB camera data, a technician can efficiently execute
manual electrical testing on only the problem PV panels instead of all of them.
20 15.3 
While drone thermal and RGB imaging for solar inspections ultimately increases
efficiency of PV fields, the practice does require as much, if not more, training
40 30.6 
than what’s required for IV Curve Tracing technicians.
60 45.9 
Furthermore, operators will need to view the inspection across both quantitative
and qualitative analysis paradigms. Qualitative analysis refers to what a given
80 61.2 
pilot is seeing in flight, such as a PV cell that has some type of soiling on part of
the panel. This image however would not tell the operator the actual temperature 100 76.5 
data. Quantitative analysis refers to processing the temperature data from each
pixel of the thermal sensor as opposed to creating just a visible representation,
which will provide more accurate diagnosing and help better inform the manual
Recommended maximum viewing distance for
electric test required to verify a given issue. different target sizes, illustrated for a Vue Pro
R 640/13 mm lens. Image blurring and optical
distortion will reduce the recommended distance.
Due to the potential increased level of training and skills required, some asset
owners and energy companies are hire full-time internal technicians to handle
drone inspections. However, it’s more common for companies to outsource sur-
veys to specialists with extensive backgrounds as drone pilots and thermogra-
phers. Either way, professionals must consider the following four factors while in
the field and during post processing:
UAS THERMAL
1. ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS IMAGING SYSTEM
2. HARDWARE CONSIDERATIONS
3. HOW TO ENSURE ACCURATE DATA
4. IDENTIFYING FALSE POSITIVES

Environmental Conditions
Humidity, time of day, wind, air temperature, reflective apparent temperature, and
other factors can affect the spot size ratio. The spot size ratio defines a spot py-
rometer’s spot size for any given distance to the target. If the spot size ratio of a
spot pyrometer is 1:30, for instance, this means that the temperature of a spot with
a size of 1 cm in diameter can be accurately measured at a distance of 30 cm.

Ideal conditions for a drone thermal imaging solar inspection are clear and sunny ATMOSPHERIC
TRANSMISSION
with low wind speeds. Later in the day works better so the field has time to heat
up to an optimal irradiance level. Thermal signature is most prominent on heated
PV panels. An optimal time to perform a drone based thermal inspection is late
morning to early afternoon. This will allow for moisture to leave the panels and VIEW
ANGLE
ensures detection range is not compromised and the scene has not become iso- INFRARED REFLECTIONS
thermal, which decreases the temperature differences between objects.
INFRARED HEAT SOURCE
While working with the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) team and chief
surveyor, a standard ground sampling distance (GSD) will be determined, which
is the benchmark for preparing flight operations. Comprehensive inspections re- Remote UAS Thermal Imaging System needs to
quire a 3 cm GSD while a high-level overview can be done at a 15 cm GSD. address unique radiometric temperature challenges.

6
Hardware Considerations PAYLOAD HARDWARE
Not all drone thermal imaging systems are alike. There are some mandatory param-
eters that make drone thermal imaging possible for solar inspections. For large sites,
such as those 100-1,000 acres, the use of a fixed wing or vertical take off & landing
(VTOL) fixed wing UAS will allow for longer flight times, higher speeds and an increase
in overall coverage. However, higher flight speeds can lead to image blur and reduced
quality of data, especially for those thermal cameras that have frame rates below
30Hz, for example. To optimize results, try to fly as slow as possible when using a fixed
wing UAS. The shutter speed of the camera must match as closely as possible to the
speed of the aircraft.

For optimal results, the following factors need to be taken into

consideration when choosing the correct payload:
• RESOLUTION (640 X 512, 336 X 256)
• FRAME RATE (30HZ, 9HZ)
• RADIOMETRIC VS. PERFORMANCE (TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT)
• LENS (13 MM IS OPTIMAL)
• INTEGRATION DETAILS (PLUG & PLAY)

When picking a payload for solar panel inspections, the use of dual sensors, both
RGB and thermal, allows for redundancy and expanded situational awareness when
determining possible anomalies. The use of a dual sensor system will decrease the
amount of time in the field and lead to larger amounts of data that need to be stored
and analyzed, but the value the dual sensors provide is so significant that they are
quickly becoming a requirement and not just an option.

When quantitative analysis of a PV field is required, the thermal imaging sensor must
have radiometric functionality. Radiometry is a set of techniques for measuring elec-
tromagnetic radiation, including visible light. In other words, the camera has the ability
to capture radiometric temperature data, not just display a thermal image. This is cru-
cial for producing accurate data when monitoring the optimal operating temperature
of PV field. Often, asset owners want to understand the optimal operating irradiance
and temperature for their respective PV arrays.

7
 IMAGE WIDTH AREA OF INTEREST

HOW TO ENSURE
ACCURATE DATA IMAGE
HEIGHT

To ensure accurate data, there are a few basic

principles of thermography to consider. In
thermography, aerial or otherwise, emissivity is SIDE
the single most important attribute necessary for OVERLAP
accurate thermal measurement. Emissivity is the
efficiency with which an object emits infrared
radiation, compared to a perfect emitter (or a so-
called blackbody, which has an emissivity value
of 1. Targets likely to be measured are not perfect
FRONTAL
radiators, thus maintaining an emissivity value below OVERLAP
1. For these targets, the measured temperature will
result from a combination of emitted, transmitted
and reflected radiation. It is important to set
the right emissivity value in the thermal imaging
camera or else the temperature measurements
will be incorrect. FLIR Systems thermal imaging cameras have Post processing data captured during an inspection using advance
predefined emissivity settings for lots of materials, and the rest software will provide time/temperature plots; detailed comparisons
can be found in an emissivity table, which can be found readily of problem PV panels versus properly running PV panels to
on the Internet. Solar panels tend to be highly reflective, which emphasize anomalies; high-resolution zooming,; and much more.
means a lower emissivity. Learning the intricacies of this type of software takes time and
experience. However, there are three metrics that post processing
Other factors that influence emissivity include: can never fix: focus, range, and distance (FORD). FORD parameters
must be properly executed in the field to collect accurate data.
• MATERIAL
• SURFACE STRUCTURE One final feature that can be executed in the field to make it easier
• GEOMETRY to spot anomalies is the use of isotherms. Isotherms highlight
dedicated temperature ranges. Anything that appears outside of a
• ANGLE
certain temperature range raises a visual red flag so a technician
• WAVELENGTH can zoom in on the issue. For PV panel inspection, three isotherm
• TEMPERATURE ranges can be found in the settings of the ground control station
software. When used correctly, isotherms can cut hours out of a
technician’s post-processing time.

DETECTION TABLE
LENGTH OF SMALLEST DETECTABLE OBJECT (5 PIXELS) IN INCHES AT DIFFERENT ALTITUDES IN FEET SMALL DETECTABLE

150 ALTITUDE 160 x 120 640 x 512

25’ 9.5 3
50’ 18.5 5.5
75’ 28 8.5
100’ 37.5 11.5
100 125’ 46.5 14
150’ 56 17
175’ 65.5 20
200’ 74.5 22.5
225’ 84 25.5
50 250’ 93.5 28.5
275’ 102.5 31
300’ 112 34
325’ 121.5 37
350’ 130.5 39.5
0 375’ 140 42.5
ALTITUDE 25’ 100’ 200’ 300’ 400’
400’ 149.5 45.5
160 x 120 640 x 512
8
CONSIDERATIONS MAXIMUM POWER POINTS

BEFORE HIRING 3.5

(A)(A)
A SERVICE PROVIDER 3.0 G = 1,000 W/m2

CURRENT
MODULE CURRENT
2.5
G = 800 W/m2
2.0
G = 600 W/m2
Regulations 1.5

MODULE
1.0 G = 400 W/m2
The sUAS commercial industry is still in its infant
stages and as recent as August 2016, the first 0.5 G = 200 W/m2
commercial drone regulations were passed by 0.0
the FAA. To become a certified, Part 107 commer- 0 5 10 15 20 25
cial UAS pilot, you must pass a 60 question, multi-
V RANGE
ple choice knowledge exam. A link to the FAA Part
107 regulations summary can be found here: MODULE
MODULEVOLTAGE (V)
VOLTAGE (V)
CREDIT: EC&M MAGAZINE

FAA Part 107 Regulations

If the operations call for flight parameters that are outside of the
current regulatory framework, request a proof of FAA waivers
from the potential service provider. Becoming familiar with the
local FAA Flight Safety District Office (FSDO). Furthermore, Air
Traffic Control (ATC) is recommended when attempting to do ad-
vanced beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations or when
flying in controlled airspace.
Insurance
Experience
One of the most mission critical items to consider when hiring a
drone service provider is experience. In a new and fast paced in-
dustry, clearly showcasing experience can be difficult. Complet-
ing a strict due diligence process prior to decision making will
set up asset owners and energy stakeholders for long-term suc-
cess while manage risk for hiring operators either outsourced
or within an organization. A few items found in all due diligence
protocols include:

As the value of assets from a program begins to increase, it is • FLIGHT LOGS AND A MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE
important to consider the proper insurance before hiring a po- • DATA WORKFLOW DETAILS
tential company or establishing an in-house program. Ensure the
• PRE-FLIGHT, DURING FLIGHT, AND POST-FLIGHT
pilot has a UAS specific aviation insurance plan with a minimum CHECKLISTS
of $1-5 million in coverage. Providing a certificate of insurance
• SAMPLE DATA SETS (PROOF OF ABILITY)
and discussing the topic with the operators should happen at the
beginning of the process as opposed to during UAS flight opera-
tions. New, on-demand insurance apps could be a good option if To set up a baseline for success, operators must participate in a
a given program is young and the volume of flights on a monthly robust training program that incorporates both internal protocol
basis is minimal. If the assets to be inspected are on residential training as well as technical training from outside vendors and
homes and urban areas, more precautions should be considered OEMs. For thermography training, the Infrared Training Center
when purchasing an insurance policy. For remote, rural opera- (ITC) is a superb resource.
tions with limited risk, the on-demand option may be viable.

FLIGHT DATA HYPER-LOCAL WEATHER AIRSPACE HAZARDS GROUND HAZARDS CROWD DENSITY PILOT SAFETY RECORD

DATA SOURCES

85
85
FLIGHT RISK
FLIGHT
RISK
SMART RISK MODEL

ACTIONABLE PRE-FLIGHT, IN-FLIGHT AND

POST-FLIGHT SAFETY INSIGHTS 9
 Software
When choosing a service provider or developing an in-house
program, choosing the correct software is crucial. While making
the decision of which software is best for a particular program,
consider the following factors.
• DATA COLLECTION
• DATA PROCESSING
• DATA ANALYSIS
• LOCALIZATION OF ANOMALIES
• REPORTING
Currently, many asset owners are completing inspections
manually when implementing a digital inspection process
can save both time and money. Consulting with IT and GIS
professionals represents a good place to start when deciding
which pieces of software to use for a given PV inspection drone
program. Current software capabilities provide more detail and
allow for a deeper level of accuracy than what can be achieved
manually by humans.
Detailed Deliverables
There are numerous software choices available in the market
but starting with an organization’s expectations and working
backwards will make the final deliverable much clearer.
Questions to consider when developing a deliverable strategy
should include:
• WHAT FORMAT WILL THE REPORT BE IN?
(.CSV,.PDF,.WORD, ETC.)
• CAN I ACCESS MY DATA VIA AN ONLINE,
CLOUD-BASED SYSTEM?
• CAN I EDIT AND CUSTOMIZE THE DATA?
• DO I HAVE ACCESS TO THE RAW FILES?
• HOW CAN I SHARE THE DATA ACROSS MY
ORGANIZATION?
• IS THE SOFTWARE GRANULAR TO MY ORGANIZATION?
The use of an anomaly map of the site being inspected allows
for localization and ease of use for the field technicians. By
providing detailed yet flexible deliverables, the end user can
take advantage of actionable insights produced by the reporting
software.
Timelines
While conducting due diligence, discussing timelines will ensure
projects don’t run over schedule or over budget. Often, ROI is
viewed as time saved and efficiency, so it is critical to understand
up front how long the process will take. Consider these questions
when scheduling drone inspection services:
• START TIME AND FLIGHT SCHEDULE
• DURATION OF FLIGHT
• DATA PROCESSING TIME
• BAD WEATHER PLAN
• EXTRA FLIGHTS
• FINAL REPORT DELIVERABLE TIMELINE
Most importantly, to ensure safety and compliance, the entire
flight crew should be FAA Part 107 certified, at a minimum. It
is also highly recommended when doing detailed, quantitative
analysis of PV fields to hire a certified thermographer to ensure
the data produced is accurate and therefore useful to the task
at hand.

REQUEST
FLIGHT LOGS
AND MAINTENANCE
SCHEDULE CHECKLISTS

THOROUGHLY
EVALUATE
EXPERIENCE

WORKFLOW DETAILS SAMPLE DATA SETS

10
LIMITATIONS OF THERMAL IMAGING FOR PV INSPECTIONS

While drone thermal imaging is revolutionizing solar inspections,
it is important to understand the maturity of the industry and
where the current state of end user integration lies. Market
adoption starts with education and a firm grasp of the limitations
of the technology will set a standard for success.
also create issues with irradiance and data capture. Moisture
could potentially make the panels look uniform or isothermal
which could ultimately lead to false positives.
Irradiance and Operating Status

Camera Limitations Irradiance is the density of radiation incident on a given surface

Camera limitations are dependent on the ground sampling
distance (GSD) that is desired. When looking for cell or sub-cell
anomalies requiring 3 cm GSD, then a higher resolution camera
is necessary along with lower flight altitude and potentially a lens
with a narrower field of view. For high level analysis of issues
such as string or tracker defects that require a 15 cm GSD, the
camera can be a lower resolution and the flight altitude can likely
be increased.
usually expressed in watts per square centimeter or square
meter. PV cells must reach a certain level of natural irradiance to
get a true apparent temperature reading. The ideal irradiance to
perform an inspection is 600 W/m2. Airborne thermal inspections
can be completed at other irradiance levels, but to ensure the
highest quality data, try to be as close to 600 W/m2 as possible.
Cloud cover and adverse environmental conditions could affect
the image that the thermal camera is attempting to capture.

A helpful video about camera resolution can be

found in this link: FLIR sUAS Resolution Video

The frame rate is the rate at which the infrared

detector creates images. For a 9 Hz camera it does
so at 9 times per second, and for a 30 Hz camera,
30 times per second. If the LCD/viewfinder has a
higher display rate, the infrared image will just
get repeated several times. FLIR currently offers
two framerate options, 30 Hz and 9 Hz for the
commercial sUAS market.

For PV inspections, it is not suggested to use

video as a format for detailed analysis. Video is
not the best medium to capture in the field for the
following reasons:

• LOW QUALITY
• STORAGE PROBLEMS
• RADIOMETRIC ANALYSIS
Coverage and Flight Times
• CORRECT IDENTIFICATION OF ANOMALIES
• GEOTAGGING Based on the hardware, software, and size of the area to be
inspected, the coverage and flight times will vary. With keeping
the end deliverable and goal in mind, the following requirements
For operators flying a dual EO/IR sensor, the camera will have a will contribute to the amount of coverage that can be achieved:
5X zoom capability. When zooming in on a potential anomaly, take
note that it is the optical sensor that is conducting that function, • ALTITUDE
and not the thermal sensor. Thermal zoom is a technology still to
• OVERLAP
be perfected on light drone aircraft.
• FLIGHT SPEED
Environmental Limitations • GSD
• ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS
Environmental limitations include atmospheric transmission, air
density, relative humidity, moisture, clouds and high winds. Under
less than ideal conditions, these factors need to be accounted As a best practice, it is suggested to use multiple drones to
for in the camera settings during pre-flight preparations. Not only maximize coverage and flight times.
can wind and moisture negatively affect flight operations, it can
11
Everything You Need to Get Started
The ADAS and AV market is still in an early development phase. Thermal sensors will
be needed for higher-performing ADAS and AV platforms as the automotive ­industry
CONCLUSION COMING
moves to SAE levels automation 3 (conditional), 4 (high), and 5 (full). With more
than 500,000 thermal sensors on cars, FLIR is leading the way. In addition, the FLIR
­Boson-based FLIR ADK is available and specifically designed for ADAS developers
to integrate into test vehicles. Classification of pedestrians, dogs, cars, bicycles
and other vehicles can be started immediately with the use of the free FLIR thermal
­starter dataset. Together, engineers and developers can leverage the hardware
and data with machine learning neural networks to help demonstrate the ability for
affordable thermal sensors to make ADAS and AV safer.

For more information about thermal imaging cameras

or about this application, please visit www.flir.com

The images displayed may not be representative of the actual resolution of the
camera shown. Images for ­illustrative purposes only.

19-1383-OEM-COR-Delta-Thermal Imaging Drones for Solar Videos

UPDATED: 06/26/19