Thermal inspection: detecting heat signatures

Advanced thermal imaging cameras on drones can provide an aerial view of heat signatures. This type of imaging can reveal hidden issues, inefficiencies, and potential hazards, revolutionizing your business operations.

Drone-based Infrared thermal imaging at your service

Drone thermal inspection is a non-invasive, efficient method for detecting temperature variations in buildings, equipment, and infrastructure. Thermal images can reveal hidden issues before they become major problems.

When applied in the correct situation, drone-based inspections are: time-efficient, completing inspections in hours instead of days; safe, reaching hard-to-access areas without risking personnel including work at heights or confined spaces; and cost-effective, allowing early detection to prevent expensive repairs. Most importantly, they provide actionable data for informed decisions on maintenance, energy efficiency, and safety.

Thermal cameras detect heat variations, which can indicate problems like heat loss, moisture intrusion, poor insulation, overheating electrical components, or friction in mechanical systems.

Aerial thermal inspections are versatile and valuable across various industries such as:

  • Waste management, where they can help identify heat dispersion on incinerators, waste material and landfill surfaces
  • Cement industry, where they can detect overheating or badly insulated components potentially leading to inefficient production processes 
  • Energy sector, where they are used to inspect solar panels for defects, damages, underperforming cells or monitor power line conditions and insulation
  • Farming and precision agriculture, where anomalies in irrigation systems can be spotted or soil moisture levels in the crops can be monitored 
  • Oil and gas, where thermal profiling is used in parallel with other technologies to detect pipeline leaks, assess storage tank integrity.

What are our thermal inspection services?

Pipeline inspection
Any leaks in your distribution system?
Tank inspection
How you comply with structural checks?
Buildings and roofs inspection
Can you reduce energy dispersion?

What deliverables can you expect?

We provide comprehensive, easy-to-understand results, offering a clear view of your facility's thermal profile and actionable steps to address any identified issues. Here's what you can typically expect:

  • Inspection reports with detailed analysis of thermal anomalies, including:
    • High-resolution IR thermal images with annotations
    • Corresponding RGB images or videos for comparisons
    • Recommendations for further action and/or investigations
  • Thermal maps
  • Raw data for clients who wish to perform their own analysis on thermal scans
  • Follow-up consultation to discuss potential causes.

Examples on how we identify energy inefficiencies in buildings

By means of drone thermal inspections we can help identify 'hot spots' or 'cold spots' that usually indicate energy waste. Here's our approach:

  • Comprehensive scans of indoor and/or outdoor surfaces
  • Detailed analysis from certified thermographers who can identify areas with missing, damaged, or inadequate insulation
  • Thermal scans on areas prone to air leaks, such as windows, doors, and joints
  • Thermal scans to detect moisture and insulation issues in flat roofs, preventing heat loss and structural damage
  • Assessment of inefficiencies in heating and cooling systems by analyzing surface temperature patterns around vents and ductwork.

By pinpointing these issues, we provide a clear plan for targeted improvements to reduce energy consumption and costs, like fixing leaks in a water pipe to stop energy waste.

Examples of electrical faults we can discover through thermal imaging

Electrical systems are critical but can pose risks if issues go undetected. Drone-mounted multispectral cameras can help identify electrical faults before they become hazardous or costly.

Here’s what we can uncover:

  • Overloaded circuits
  • Loose connections
  • Unbalanced loads in three-phase systems
  • Failing components like transformers or motor controls 
  • Insulation failures.

By detecting these issues in early stages, our inspectors can help enhance safety, extend system life, improve energy efficiency, and prevent fires. This proactive approach saves costs and reduces risks.

Our UAV-based inspection workflow

The process starts with a consultation to understand your goals—whether it's improving energy efficiency, monitoring environmental phenomena, detecting equipment failures, or identifying structural issues. We then design a custom inspection plan to ensure the data we capture directly addresses your objectives.

Required preparation

Here is a checklist for performing a valuable inspection:

  • Site survey and/or analysis of available data
  • Flight planning based on all areas of interest
  • Weather check to ensure optimal flying conditions for the inspection
  • Equipment preparation
  • Coordination with on-site personnel and compliance with necessary safety protocols.

A meticulous preparation is important to ensure a successful inspection and thermal data capture. 

How do you interpret thermal imaging data?

Analyzing thermal imaging data did not originate with drones. It requires advanced software, years of experience, and a deep understanding of thermal physics and environmental science. Our objective is to give you insights out of thermal images and profiles. Below is the tiered approach we use for handling and processing thermal data:

  • Data capture, where all thermal and visual data from the inspection are collected and stored
  • Image enhancement through advanced analysis software
  • Pattern recognition to identify anomalies
  • Comparative analysis, where thermal profiles are compared to spot outliers indicating potential issues
  • Contextual interpretation where we consider external factors such as time of day, weather parameters, and system normal operational conditions
  • Root cause analysis
  • Categorisation of the findings to help prioritize maintenance and repairs.

Ultimately, the most important aspect is to turn raw data into valuable, actionable intelligence for your organization.

Ready to uncover energy inefficiencies and potential hazards?

With advanced thermal imaging cameras mounted on drones, we can provide a comprehensive aerial view of heat signatures, revealing hidden issues in buildings, equipment, and infrastructure. Drone-based thermal inspections are time-efficient, safe, and cost-effective, helping you detect problems early before they escalate. We deliver high-resolution infrared images, detailed reports, thermal maps, and actionable recommendations, enabling better decisions on maintenance, energy efficiency, and safety. From detecting energy waste to identifying electrical faults, our drone services give you the insights needed to optimize your operations and prevent costly repairs. Let’s discover how drone-based solutions can enhance the quality of your inspection data.

Approved by
Alessandro Sarno

Alessandro Sarno runs ReSource Sverige AB as CEO and Co-founder. The company provides environmental monitoring solutions and consultancy within energy and waste management sectors. With a background from Lund University, he spearheads the application of innovative technologies like digital data platforms and drone-based methane monitoring. His versatile approach and commitment to transparency drive the company's expansion of data-driven environmental services across Sweden and Europe.

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