New gig with my Drone

[jaysrmc]

I contract for the DOE to do some inspections. I do a couple a week. I just got another job using my drone to inspect solar panels and take photos of them. It pays me 50 bucks to do that each one. Today I got 4 of them. Tomorrow I have 2. Work is out there guys, if you are 107 make sure your friends and family know. That is how you get the business.

 

[BBerry]

Nice. Thanks for sharing. I’m just getting going with the aerial photography. I’ve been flying drones for 4 years but just passed the 107 exam a couple months ago. How does your pricing structure look. Just trying to get some idea of the market.

Thanks again.

 

[Mavic Ray]

If you do a lot of work with inspecting solar panels, the mavic enterprise dual apparently can use its flir camera to identify defective cells. This video shows how the defective cells dont absorb any of the light and reflects it back as a hot spot. Really makes me want to get into the drone business.

 

[CactusJackSlade]

I contract for the DOE to do some inspections. I do a couple a week. I just got another job using my drone to inspect solar panels and take photos of them. It pays me 50 bucks to do that each one. Today I got 4 of them. Tomorrow I have 2. Work is out there guys, if you are 107 make sure your friends and family know. That is how you get the business.

Just my opinion unless you are taking off from your house, I'd say you are not charging enough. Typically I will not even do a local job for less than $150... and more typically $250.

 

[AMann]

Just my opinion unless you are taking off from your house, I'd say you are not charging enough. Typically I will not even do a local job for less than $150... and more typically $250.

DOE? He didn’t have a choice, as the low bidder gets the contracts.

 

[ff22]

Here's mine. Maybe I could use that type of inspection

 

[CanadaDrone]

You would want the Mavic 2 Enterprise with the Flir camera for inspecting solar panels would you not? To my knowledge IR cameras can detect defects that many not be immediately or physically obvious which I think would be a huge advantage for this sort of thing.

 

[ff22]

You would want the Mavic 2 Enterprise with the Flir camera for inspecting solar panels would you not? To my knowledge IR cameras can detect defects that many not be immediately or physically obvious which I think would be a huge advantage for this sort of thing.

Yes, that does sound like the method needed. Not sure if my installer does that kind of after-installation inspection but I doubt it. They did check for delamination a while back - I gather there were issues with this brand! They've been up there a few years. I do have a fun time-lapse that I took of installation with my Blackberry Playbook. Actually, it has been 5 1/2 years - time flies like drones!

 

[AMann]

FLIR makes small thermal cams like the Boson 640 that would work on a standard MP2 for this type of imaging, you really dont need the Enterprize model for this.

 

[ff22]

FLIR makes small thermal cams like the Boson 640 that would work on a standard MP2 for this type of imaging, you really dont need the Enterprize model for this.

I don't know the price difference but: $3,520.00 seems high to inspect my panels! How do they attach anyway?

 

[AMann]

I don't know the price difference but: $3,520.00 seems high to inspect my panels! How do they attach anyway?

There’s different options- camera mounts on the side or front. If you were starting a thermal imaging inspection business, it would be a good way to go. There are a few of these in every snowbelt state.

 

[AMann]

I don't know the price difference but: $3,520.00 seems high to inspect my panels! How do they attach anyway?

Forget all I said... The new DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise DUAL may be a better way to go for thermal imaging at $2600:

Don't Judge by Its Size - DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual

DJI Makes Thermal Imaging Portable With Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual

 

[shehant2009]

I contract for the DOE to do some inspections. I do a couple a week. I just got another job using my drone to inspect solar panels and take photos of them. It pays me 50 bucks to do that each one. Today I got 4 of them. Tomorrow I have 2. Work is out there guys, if you are 107 make sure your friends and family know. That is how you get the business.

I'm in the solar installation business and I've been looking at buying the Enterprise Dual just for these inspections. This will be my very first drone and I'm still confused by a few things:

1. From what I've read, the only control software is DJI pilot and it doesn't seem to allow POIs and waypoints. Being a total newbie to drones, I don't think I'd be able to fly this on my own without the pre-set navigation.
I was told by a vendor that this is compatible with GSPro, which allows waypoints, but I don't want to spend more on an iOS devide just to use GSPro. Can you share what you use for the controlling the drone?


2. Thermal-based inspections might take a long time to take off in my market. So, I'd ideally like to have a drone that's good for recreational use as well using the RGB cam alone. What key differences are you seeing compared to say a Mavic 2 Pro when you compare just the RGB camera and control features?

3. if you can share some details about how long it takes to cover a given area of given number of solar modules that would also be a big help. I'm mostly dealing with less than 3000 modules on rooftops. I'm wondering if I need to invest in additional batteries straightaway.

Thanks in advance.