Solar inspection software ranges from full-service analytics platforms for utility-scale portfolios to flexible tools for installers and inspection firms serving mixed commercial and residential fleets. Scale and service model drive the choice more than feature lists do.
We build Atlas and serve the installer-and-inspector end of that spectrum; the utility-scale specialists below are genuinely strong at what they do.
How we compare
What actually separates these tools
Radiometric analysis depth
PV fault classification rests on measured temperature differentials — the software must decode true radiometric data from your thermal payload.
Scale economics
A 10 kW rooftop and a 200 MW site need different economics: per-site flexibility versus standardized portfolio pipelines.
Who does the work
Some platforms include analysis services; others are self-serve software for your own inspectors. Match to your business model.
Deliverable ownership
Installers and inspection firms need branded reports they own and deliver; asset owners need portfolio dashboards.
1
Atlas Inspections
That's us
Atlas is self-serve PV inspection software for installers, O&M contractors, and inspection firms: radiometric decoding of DJI and FLIR thermal data, AI-assisted anomaly triage with inspector review, georeferenced fault mapping, and branded reports — across rooftop, commercial, and ground-mount sites, alongside every other thermal service you offer.
Strengths
True radiometric measurement behind every finding, with honest accuracy flagging
AI triage plus human review keeps large arrays tractable without black-box findings
Works across your whole service mix — solar plus roofs, electrical, envelope
You own the branded deliverable and the client relationship
Considerations
No standardized utility-scale fault taxonomy or portfolio benchmarking service
Self-serve software — analysis is done by your team, not an outsourced service
Best for: Installers, O&M contractors, and inspection firms delivering PV thermal inspections under their own brand.
The established specialist for utility-scale solar analytics: standardized anomaly classification, portfolio dashboards, and integrations into O&M workflows, used across large PV fleets globally.
Strengths
Industry-standard fault taxonomy and benchmarking at portfolio scale
Deep utility-scale operational integrations
Considerations
Optimized for large asset owners and fleets rather than small-site service businesses
Best for: Utility-scale owners, operators, and O&M programs standardizing across large portfolios.
A solar-focused aerial intelligence platform spanning construction monitoring and thermal inspection analytics for solar sites, with automated anomaly detection and site dashboards.
Strengths
Covers the solar asset lifecycle from construction through operations
Strong automated analytics for site-scale thermal campaigns
Considerations
Solar-specialized — not a general inspection platform for mixed service firms
Best for: Solar EPCs and asset managers wanting lifecycle aerial intelligence on dedicated solar sites.
An inspection services company (formerly DroneBase) providing flight operations plus analysis as a service across solar, wind, and property — you buy the outcome rather than operate the software.
Strengths
Turnkey: pilot network, capture, and analysis handled for you
Useful for owners without in-house drone or thermography capability
Considerations
A service model — less fit if inspections are the product your own firm sells
Best for: Asset owners who want inspections delivered as a service rather than software to operate.
DJI's mapping software, often used in solar for site orthomosaics and as part of thermal capture workflows with DJI enterprise drones.
Strengths
First-party DJI integration and capable local mapping
Considerations
Mapping tool, not a PV inspection platform — fault analysis and reporting happen elsewhere
Best for: DJI operators producing site maps as one input to a broader solar inspection workflow.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What irradiance do PV thermal inspections need?
Industry guidance generally calls for 600 W/m² or higher with stable sky for reliable anomaly detection. Document conditions with the survey — Atlas records them with the flight log.
Software platform or inspection service — which should we buy?
If inspections are a service you sell, you want software you operate (Atlas, Raptor Maps for portfolios). If you're an owner without capture capability, a service like Zeitview delivers outcomes directly.
Can AI fully automate solar fault detection?
AI triage dramatically speeds review at scale, but credible reports keep an inspector's judgment in the loop. Atlas's model is explicit: AI proposes, your inspector decides, the system learns from those decisions.