An Intelligent Drone System for Identifying Faults in Photovoltaic Modules

The solar power industry in India has rapidly expanded, ranking fourth globally in 2022 for solar power generation with an installed capacity of 70.01 GW as of June 30, 2023. While photovoltaic (PV) systems are pivotal for the country’s energy future, efficiency and performance remain challenges due to various factors. To address this, the project focuses on leveraging Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) equipped with sensors and thermal cameras to identify faults in PV systems. The goal is to develop a monitoring system that enhances fault detection and analysis, thereby improving system reliability. This paper proposes an intelligent drone system leveraging the EfficientNet B7 model for the identification of faults in PV systems. The system combines autonomous drone technology, advanced sensors, and state-of-the-art deep learning algorithms to enhance fault detection accuracy.