Strategies and Challenges for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle-Based Continuous Inspection and Predictive Maintenance of Solar Modules
The integration of solar energy into the global energy mix is more prevalent owing to its sustainability and ecological advantages. With the fast expansion of large-scale solar farms, the necessity for efficient and dependable maintenance and monitoring of solar modules has grown significantly. This...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IEEE
2024-01-01
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| Series: | IEEE Access |
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| Online Access: | https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10767177/ |
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| author | Ghulam E. Mustafa Abro Amjad Ali Sufyan Ali Memon Tayab Din Memon Faheem Khan |
| author_facet | Ghulam E. Mustafa Abro Amjad Ali Sufyan Ali Memon Tayab Din Memon Faheem Khan |
| author_sort | Ghulam E. Mustafa Abro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The integration of solar energy into the global energy mix is more prevalent owing to its sustainability and ecological advantages. With the fast expansion of large-scale solar farms, the necessity for efficient and dependable maintenance and monitoring of solar modules has grown significantly. This study advocates for the utilization of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) outfitted with thermal imagers and visible-light cameras as an efficient method for identifying flaws in solar photovoltaic (PV) modules. In contrast to conventional inspection techniques, UAV-based photography provides continuous, real-time surveillance, facilitating the rapid detection of potential defects such as cell malfunctions, fractures, shading, and string failures, which may result in substantial financial losses. The choice to prioritize thermal and visual imaging above mathematical modeling or optimization algorithms arises from the necessity of delivering practical, scalable inspection solutions that can be readily implemented in the field. Our review paper emphasizes instant functionality and practical insights for predictive maintenance, without necessitating complex computing resources or optimization tools. This study emphasizes the significance of early defect identification on solar farm efficiency and delineates a strategy for improving the reliability and cost-effectiveness of photovoltaic module inspections via UAV technology. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ef1a569d48a545e985688e8f42c8e3a3 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2169-3536 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | IEEE |
| record_format | Article |
| series | IEEE Access |
| spelling | doaj-art-ef1a569d48a545e985688e8f42c8e3a32024-12-04T00:01:58ZengIEEEIEEE Access2169-35362024-01-011217661517662910.1109/ACCESS.2024.350575410767177Strategies and Challenges for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle-Based Continuous Inspection and Predictive Maintenance of Solar ModulesGhulam E. Mustafa Abro0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1874-1889Amjad Ali1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3610-9716Sufyan Ali Memon2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5592-9990Tayab Din Memon3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8122-5647Faheem Khan4https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6220-0225Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Aviation & Space Exploration (IRCASE), King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Dhahran, Saudi ArabiaInterdisciplinary Research Center for Sustainable Energy Systems (IRC-SES), King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Dhahran, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Defense Systems Engineering, Sejong University, Gwangjin-gu Seoul, Republic of KoreaCenter for Artificial Intelligence Research and Optimization (AIRO), Design and Creative Technology Vertical, Torrens University Australia, Melbourne, AustraliaDepartment of Computer Engineering, Gachon University, Seongnam-si, South KoreaThe integration of solar energy into the global energy mix is more prevalent owing to its sustainability and ecological advantages. With the fast expansion of large-scale solar farms, the necessity for efficient and dependable maintenance and monitoring of solar modules has grown significantly. This study advocates for the utilization of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) outfitted with thermal imagers and visible-light cameras as an efficient method for identifying flaws in solar photovoltaic (PV) modules. In contrast to conventional inspection techniques, UAV-based photography provides continuous, real-time surveillance, facilitating the rapid detection of potential defects such as cell malfunctions, fractures, shading, and string failures, which may result in substantial financial losses. The choice to prioritize thermal and visual imaging above mathematical modeling or optimization algorithms arises from the necessity of delivering practical, scalable inspection solutions that can be readily implemented in the field. Our review paper emphasizes instant functionality and practical insights for predictive maintenance, without necessitating complex computing resources or optimization tools. This study emphasizes the significance of early defect identification on solar farm efficiency and delineates a strategy for improving the reliability and cost-effectiveness of photovoltaic module inspections via UAV technology.https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10767177/Imaging approachesphotovoltaic modulesrenewable energysolar energysustainable infrastructureUAVs |
| spellingShingle | Ghulam E. Mustafa Abro Amjad Ali Sufyan Ali Memon Tayab Din Memon Faheem Khan Strategies and Challenges for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle-Based Continuous Inspection and Predictive Maintenance of Solar Modules IEEE Access Imaging approaches photovoltaic modules renewable energy solar energy sustainable infrastructure UAVs |
| title | Strategies and Challenges for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle-Based Continuous Inspection and Predictive Maintenance of Solar Modules |
| title_full | Strategies and Challenges for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle-Based Continuous Inspection and Predictive Maintenance of Solar Modules |
| title_fullStr | Strategies and Challenges for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle-Based Continuous Inspection and Predictive Maintenance of Solar Modules |
| title_full_unstemmed | Strategies and Challenges for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle-Based Continuous Inspection and Predictive Maintenance of Solar Modules |
| title_short | Strategies and Challenges for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle-Based Continuous Inspection and Predictive Maintenance of Solar Modules |
| title_sort | strategies and challenges for unmanned aerial vehicle based continuous inspection and predictive maintenance of solar modules |
| topic | Imaging approaches photovoltaic modules renewable energy solar energy sustainable infrastructure UAVs |
| url | https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10767177/ |
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