In the ever-evolving landscape of renewable energy, the efficiency and longevity of solar panel installations are crucial for maximizing their contribution to a sustainable future. Imagine robots navigating through expansive solar panel fields, equipped with advanced sensors and AI-driven diagnostics. These autonomous ground robots are not only enhancing the precision and frequency of inspections, but are also dramatically reducing downtime and operational costs.

Husky Observer in Action

Husky Observer, our fully integrated autonomous inspection robot, was recently deployed at a large solar facility. Its mission was to autonomously navigate countless rows of solar panels and identify any potential issues using its onboard thermal camera. While the integrity of solar panel modules and components were the main focus of this mission, there are various other routine tasks and jobs an autonomous mobile robot could carry out on a solar farm, including:

Cable inspection: Identifying poor bend radius or loose/frayed cabling.
Vegetation monitoring: Identifying areas where vegetation or debris may be obstructing the solar panels.
Site surveillance: Monitoring site activity and identifying intruders (people or animals).

Husky Observer navigating through rows of solar panels.

Taking a Closer Look

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVS), or drones, are already commonly used to inspect and survey solar facilities. However, UAV inspections often struggle with battery life and are unable to inspect and capture data on the underside of the solar panels. Autonomous mobile ground robots, like Husky Observer, are well suited to navigate the narrow spaces between the rows of panels. They can methodically inspect each panel, detecting potential problems such as loose wiring, corrosion, or dirt accumulation that might affect performance. While a solar panel system can typically notify operators about a potential issue with a panel area, an autonomous mobile ground robot can more easily pinpoint the issue to the exact panel without having the operator to go out and investigate in person. This close-up examination is game-changing for maintaining the efficiency and longevity of the technology.

Husky Observer with its PTZ camera pointed towards the underside of a solar panel.

OutdoorNAV web user interface showing camera feeds and inspection route.

The Software Making it All Possible

OutdoorNav, our outdoor autonomy software, was used to define routes, waypoints, and inspection tasks.  Through the web-based UI, Husky Observer was programmed to drive down the rows of panels and continuously capture geo-referenced thermal and colour imagery. After completion, the thermal images were post-processed to identify hot spots and inspected for signs of damage in the colour imagery. An example of a located hot spot is shown below.

Processed thermal photo detecting a hot spot on the underside of a solar panel.

While numerous technologies are advancing solar field management, autonomous mobile robots are distinguished by their effectiveness in addressing complex challenges. Their ability to navigate intricate environments, conduct detailed inspections, and operate independently makes them an indispensable asset in the solar energy sector. By integrating robots like Husky Observer into solar field operations, customers can enhance efficiency, reduce operational costs, and ensure that solar energy systems perform at their best, contributing to a more sustainable and reliable energy future.

Check out Husky Observer in action at a large solar facility:

More product information: http://www.jingtianrobots.com/index.php?id=1089

More project information:

https://clearpathrobotics.com/blog/2024/08/autonomous-solar-farm-inspection-with-husky-observer/