Choosing the right drone operation model can make or break your solar inspection strategy. Whether you’re focused on construction quality control, progress tracking, or thermal inspections, your drone deployment model directly impacts the speed, safety, and accuracy of your insights.
At Sitemark, we’ve supported tens of thousands of drone inspections across solar sites worldwide. In this guide, we break down the four main drone operation models—In-House, Outsourced Flying, Automated Drone Docks, and Hybrid Approaches—so you can choose the best solution for your business.
In-House Drone Operations
Operating drones in-house gives teams maximum flexibility and ownership of the entire workflow—from flight planning and execution to data analysis and reporting. It’s a strong fit for organizations that:
- Prefer to manage scheduling, compliance, and data internally
- Want to build in-house knowledge and reduce reliance on external providers
- Have existing drone equipment and certified pilots
Which certifications will you need?
In Europe (EASA):
- Drones >250g or with cameras must be registered.
- “Open” category operations require online training and a test.
- “Specific” category requires a risk assessment and possible authorization.
- Full autonomy is not allowed—pilots must be able to intervene.
In the U.S. (FAA):
- Drones over 250g must be registered.
- Commercial flights require a Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate.
- Flights must remain within visual line of sight, under 400 ft AGL.
- Authorization is required in controlled airspace via LAANC.
Why Irradiance Matters in Thermal Inspections
For thermal inspections, irradiance—measured in W/m²—is a crucial factor. Poor or inconsistent irradiance can hide actual defects or create false positives. The key benchmark is Global Tilted Irradiance (GTI), which should remain stable and above a minimum threshold (typically 600–800 W/m²) during the entire flight.
To ensure accuracy:
- Use on-site irradiance meters before and during flights
- Avoid early morning, late afternoon, and partly cloudy days
- Don’t rely solely on forecasts—local measurements are essential
👉Want to dive deeper? Read our post on Why Temperature Normalization Is Key to Critical Insights.
Choosing the Right Drone and Sensors
Selecting the right drone and sensor combination is critical to capturing accurate, high-quality inspection data. Your choice directly impacts the level of detail, accuracy, and data consistency.
Popular options include:
- DJI Mavic Series – Lightweight and portable
- DJI Matrice Series – Modular, robust, and compatible with a wide range of sensors
For teams managing their own equipment, it’s essential to stay up to date on what drones are supported by your software partner.
🔗 See the current list of compatible drone hardware with Sitemark
Tools and Training
Going in-house doesn’t mean going it alone. Many internal drone programs succeed faster when supported by the right platform and processes.
Platforms like Sitemark help streamline your in-house drone operations through:
- Training and onboarding programs to upskill pilots and technical staff
- Guidance on drone and sensor selection, tailored to your inspection use case
- Software tools to automate flight planning and simplify data validation
By supporting your internal team with the right training and infrastructure, you can scale operations confidently—while maintaining inspection quality, standardization, and compliance.
Outsourced Drone Operations
If you want the benefits of drone technology but don’t have the time, resources, or desire to manage it yourself, Outsourced Flying is the perfect option.
In this model, certified professionals handle everything—from flight execution to data collection—allowing your team to focus on reviewing insights and making operational decisions. It’s particularly effective when:
- Sites are geographically dispersed
- Sites are located in areas with strict regulations or restricted airspace (military zone, airports)
- Inspections need to be executed quickly or at scale
- You don’t have trained drone pilots or the necessary equipment
Choosing the Right Partner
If you decide to outsource, selecting a reliable partner is key. Here are a few criteria to keep in mind:
- Certification: Ensure the pilot holds all required licenses for the region(s) where your sites are located.
- Experience: Look for relevant project experience in solar or industrial inspections.
- Insurance: Confirm appropriate liability coverage is in place.
- Reviews: Check references or client feedback to understand their reliability and professionalism.
Integrated Coordination
Some platforms provide an added layer of support by handling pilot coordination, inspection planning, and data handoff through a centralized system.
For example, Sitemark works with a network of vetted drone pilots worldwide and helps clients manage outsourced inspections from start to finish. This includes:
- Matching each site with the right pilot and equipment
- Coordinating scheduling and regulatory approvals
- Ensuring inspections follow consistent quality standards
- Delivering processed data and reports in a unified format
This approach helps reduce operational overhead while maintaining high-quality, repeatable inspection outcomes.
Automated Drone Docks
Automated drone docks offer a hands-off way to perform inspections. These systems allow drones to autonomously launch, execute pre-programmed flight paths, collect data, and return to their docking station—without needing on-site personnel.
This model is particularly useful when:
- Sites require frequent or scheduled inspections, such as during construction
- Teams want to minimize manual effort and on-site staffing
- There’s a need for consistent, repeatable data collection
Platforms like Sitemark work with trusted hardware providers and global deployment partners to streamline drone dock implementations. In many regions—including the EU and U.S.—Sitemark-enabled drone docks can be operational within a few days, helping teams gain fast access to automated, high-quality data collection.
Hybrid Drone Operations: Choosing the Right Mix
In practice, there’s rarely a one-size-fits-all drone strategy. Most teams operate a mix of models depending on where their sites are, how often inspections are needed, and what internal resources they have.
A hybrid approach offers the flexibility to match the right method to each scenario. For example:
- If your team already visits a site, it’s efficient to fly a drone during those visits.
- If your sites are spread out across regions or countries, or if airspace is restricted, it may be easier to outsource flights.
- If you’re monitoring construction progress or other high-frequency needs, automated docks can reduce overhead while keeping data quality consistent.
By combining different models, you can scale inspections without overloading internal teams or compromising on speed, quality, or coverage.
Seamless Integration Matters
Whichever mix you choose, it’s important to work with a provider that can support both in-house and outsourced workflows, and more importantly—blend them seamlessly. Platforms like Sitemark make this possible by combining:
- A centralized platform for managing all inspection types
- Support for internal teams and external pilot coordination
- Global reach to scale outsourced inspections across countries
- Automatic quality checks so your results stay consistent, no matter who’s flying
This ensures that whether you fly yourself or bring in support, your inspection operations remain unified, efficient, and easy to scale.
Need Help Choosing the Right Approach?
If you’re exploring how to choose the right drone operation or want to get started with in-house, having the right information and guidance can make all the difference.
Discover which drone operation model is right for you! Watch the full breakdown in our webinar "In-house, Outsource, or Hybrid? How to Choose the Right Drone Strategy".
Want more tailored guidance? Reach out to our team and we can help you choose and set up the best solution for you.
