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PV thermography planning

Solar PV inspection camera angle calculator

Plan HSAT and fixed-tilt thermal capture geometry from plant coordinates, inspection date, local solar time, camera profile, and array orientation.

Pilot in Command operational notice

Monitor IR images during acquisition. If a back-panel reflection or sun reflection is visible, adjust camera tilt or survey geometry until it disappears.

Any off-nadir camera angle introduces ground offset. Extend flight lines and side-lap coverage so first and last rows are not missed.

POA irradiance is a simplified theoretical clear-sky estimate, not a replacement for site sensors, SCADA, weather data, or operating procedures.

Back-panel reflection between PV rows
Back-panel reflection example
Plant and date
Array configuration
deg
Time and camera profile
Local solar time
12:00
UTC estimate
10:20
Current solar position and camera geometry
Solar altitude
40.9 deg
Solar azimuth from north
0.0 deg
Current tracker angle
0.0 deg flat
Angle of incidence
49.1 deg
Camera tilt from nadir beta
0.0 deg
Camera bearing / drone side
Nadir view - no horizontal offset
Required drone height AGL
18.3 m
Ground offset from nadir
0.0 m
Slant range to panel centre
16.3 m
Clear-sky POA estimate
599 W/m2
Estimated clear-sky POA is below 600 W/m2. Real site conditions may be lower.
Camera constants reference
Sensor resolution
640 x 512 px
Pixel pitch
12.0 um
Horizontal FOV
61.0 deg
Focal length
6.519 mm
IFOV
1.841 mrad

Derived values use focal length = sensor width times pixel pitch divided by two times tangent of half the horizontal FOV. Confirm the profile against the actual IR camera and lens used for the inspection.

Daily inspection angle table
LST UTC Sun az Alt Array angle POA W/m2 AOI Comment Beta Cam Offset
09:00 07:20 48 deg NE 25 deg 45.0 deg E-face (req 58.2 deg) 574 40 deg Tracker limit 45.0 deg 270 deg W 11.5 m toward 90 deg E
09:15 07:35 45 deg NE 27 deg 45.0 deg E-face (req 54.1 deg) 593 40 deg Tracker limit 45.0 deg 270 deg W 11.5 m toward 90 deg E
09:30 07:50 41 deg NE 29 deg 45.0 deg E-face (req 49.9 deg) 605 41 deg Tracker limit 45.0 deg 270 deg W 11.5 m toward 90 deg E
09:45 08:05 38 deg NE 31 deg 45.0 deg E-face (req 45.5 deg) 612 42 deg Tracker limit 45.0 deg 270 deg W 11.5 m toward 90 deg E
10:00 08:20 34 deg NE 33 deg 41.0 deg E-face 613 44 deg Okay 41.0 deg 270 deg W 10.7 m toward 90 deg E
10:15 08:35 31 deg NNE 35 deg 36.3 deg E-face 613 45 deg Okay 36.3 deg 270 deg W 9.7 m toward 90 deg E
10:30 08:50 27 deg NNE 36 deg 31.5 deg E-face 611 46 deg Okay 31.5 deg 270 deg W 8.5 m toward 90 deg E
10:45 09:05 23 deg NNE 38 deg 26.5 deg E-face 609 47 deg Okay 26.5 deg 270 deg W 7.3 m toward 90 deg E
11:00 09:20 18 deg NNE 39 deg 21.4 deg E-face 606 48 deg Okay 21.4 deg 270 deg W 5.9 m toward 90 deg E
11:15 09:35 14 deg NNE 40 deg 16.1 deg E-face 603 48 deg Okay 16.1 deg 270 deg W 4.5 m toward 90 deg E
11:30 09:50 9 deg N 40 deg 10.8 deg E-face 601 49 deg Okay 10.8 deg 270 deg W 3.1 m toward 90 deg E
11:45 10:05 5 deg N 41 deg 5.4 deg E-face 600 49 deg Okay 5.4 deg 270 deg W 1.5 m toward 90 deg E
12:00 10:20 0 deg N 41 deg 0.0 deg flat 599 49 deg POA low 0.0 deg Nadir 0.0 m
12:15 10:35 355 deg N 41 deg 5.4 deg W-face 600 49 deg Okay 5.4 deg 90 deg E 1.5 m toward 270 deg W
12:30 10:50 351 deg N 40 deg 10.8 deg W-face 601 49 deg Okay 10.8 deg 90 deg E 3.1 m toward 270 deg W
12:45 11:05 346 deg NNW 40 deg 16.1 deg W-face 603 48 deg Okay 16.1 deg 90 deg E 4.5 m toward 270 deg W
13:00 11:20 342 deg NNW 39 deg 21.4 deg W-face 606 48 deg Okay 21.4 deg 90 deg E 5.9 m toward 270 deg W
13:15 11:35 337 deg NNW 38 deg 26.5 deg W-face 608 47 deg Okay 26.5 deg 90 deg E 7.3 m toward 270 deg W
13:30 11:50 333 deg NNW 36 deg 31.5 deg W-face 611 46 deg Okay 31.5 deg 90 deg E 8.5 m toward 270 deg W
13:45 12:05 329 deg NNW 35 deg 36.3 deg W-face 612 45 deg Okay 36.3 deg 90 deg E 9.7 m toward 270 deg W
14:00 12:20 326 deg NW 33 deg 41.0 deg W-face 613 44 deg Okay 41.0 deg 90 deg E 10.7 m toward 270 deg W
14:15 12:35 322 deg NW 31 deg 45.0 deg W-face (req 45.5 deg) 611 42 deg Tracker limit 45.0 deg 90 deg E 11.5 m toward 270 deg W
14:30 12:50 319 deg NW 29 deg 45.0 deg W-face (req 49.9 deg) 605 41 deg Tracker limit 45.0 deg 90 deg E 11.5 m toward 270 deg W
14:45 13:05 315 deg NW 27 deg 45.0 deg W-face (req 54.1 deg) 592 40 deg Tracker limit 45.0 deg 90 deg E 11.5 m toward 270 deg W
15:00 13:20 312 deg NW 25 deg 45.0 deg W-face (req 58.2 deg) 573 40 deg Tracker limit 45.0 deg 90 deg E 11.5 m toward 270 deg W
15:15 13:35 310 deg NW 22 deg 45.0 deg W-face (req 62.2 deg) 547 40 deg Tracker limit 45.0 deg 90 deg E 11.5 m toward 270 deg W
15:30 13:50 307 deg NW 20 deg 45.0 deg W-face (req 66.0 deg) 513 40 deg Tracker limit 45.0 deg 90 deg E 11.5 m toward 270 deg W
15:45 14:05 304 deg NW 17 deg 45.0 deg W-face (req 69.7 deg) 472 40 deg Tracker limit 45.0 deg 90 deg E 11.5 m toward 270 deg W
16:00 14:20 302 deg WNW 14 deg 45.0 deg W-face (req 73.3 deg) 421 41 deg Tracker limit 45.0 deg 90 deg E 11.5 m toward 270 deg W

Green POA values meet the 600 W/m2 planning threshold. Highlighted row follows the time slider.