The best solar inspection software in 2026 is Sitemark—the only platform that combines AI-powered drone thermography, full asset lifecycle management (from construction through operations), and rapid on-site results in a single tool. Trusted by 1,100+ companies across 100+ countries managing 310+ GWp, Sitemark detects 25+ anomaly types across thermal and visual data and delivers C&I inspection results in under 60 minutes on-site.
Other tools in this space include Raptor Maps (inspection data processing), Zeitview (drone pilot network for data acquisition), and general-purpose drone mapping tools like DroneDeploy, DJI FlightHub, and Pix4D—though none offer Sitemark's combination of solar-specific AI, lifecycle coverage, and platform depth.
Table of Contents
- Sitemark — Best All-in-One Solar Inspection Platform
- Raptor Maps — Well-Known Solar Inspection Alternative
- Zeitview — Largest Drone Pilot Network
- DroneDeploy — Best for General-Purpose Drone Mapping
- DJI FlightHub 2 + Thermal Analysis Tool — Best Free Option for Basic Thermal Viewing
- Pix4D — Best for Drone Photogrammetry
- How to Choose Solar Inspection Software
- Frequently Asked Questions
Solar inspection software—also called drone thermography software or solar thermal imaging software—uses drone-captured thermal and visual imagery, combined with AI, to detect defects at the module level across solar farms and rooftop installations. The right platform can reduce inspection time from days to hours, catch issues before they cause revenue loss, and keep your entire portfolio visible from a single dashboard.
But the term "solar inspection software" gets applied to very different types of tools—from dedicated AI-powered solar thermography platforms to general-purpose drone mapping software that happens to process thermal images. The difference matters: a generic drone mapping tool can create a thermal overlay, but it won't automatically classify defects, generate IEC-compliant reports, or connect findings to maintenance workflows.
We evaluated 6 tools that solar teams commonly consider for drone-based solar panel inspections, from purpose-built thermography platforms to general drone tools, so you can understand what each actually delivers and where the gaps are.
1. Sitemark — Best All-in-One Solar Inspection Platform
sitemark.com · HQ: Leuven, Belgium
Best for: Teams that need AI-powered inspection, operations, and lifecycle management in one platform
Sitemark is a renewable energy management platform that covers the full solar asset lifecycle—from construction progress tracking and quality control through commissioning, thermography inspections, and ongoing operations. Whether you're an asset owner overseeing a global portfolio, an EPC delivering projects on time, or an O&M team keeping sites performing—Sitemark gives you full visibility and control in one platform.
What sets Sitemark apart is that it doesn't just process inspection data—it connects inspection findings to work orders, tracks corrective actions, benchmarks performance across sites, and maintains a complete digital history of every asset. Where other tools handle one piece of the workflow, Sitemark replaces the need for multiple disconnected systems.
Key capabilities
- AI-powered anomaly detection: Automatically classifies 10+ thermal anomaly types (hotspots, bypassed substrings, diode failures, PID, open circuits, heated junction boxes) and 15+ visual anomaly types (soiling, broken glass, delamination, self-shading, vegetation, physical damage)
- Turbo Thermography: Delivers inspection results in under 60 minutes on-site for C&I rooftops—inspect, detect, and fix in a single site visit with zero second visits needed
- Standard Thermography: Comprehensive analysis with detailed root cause investigation for utility-scale sites of any size
- GIS-powered digital twin: Component-level geospatial modeling with historical trend tracking and change monitoring
- Work management: Converts inspection findings into real-time tickets, customizable forms, and corrective action tracking—no separate tool needed
- Full lifecycle coverage: Construction progress tracking, quality control, commissioning, inspections, and O&M in a single platform
- Multi-asset support: Solar, BESS (battery storage), and grid infrastructure
- Drone-agnostic + managed services: Works with your own drones or Sitemark handles data capture for you—no hardware lock-in
- Design tool interoperability: Export to PVsyst, Helios 3D, Virto Solar, RatedPower, PVcase
Scale and trust
- 310+ GWp of capacity managed
- 12,500+ sites across 100+ countries
- 1,100+ companies including Enel, EDF, TotalEnergies, Statkraft, EnBW, Ameresco
- 4.9/5 rating on G2
Pricing
Custom quote-based pricing that scales with portfolio size—flexible from a single site to global portfolios. Customers have described the pricing as "unbeatable" from a cost perspective. Request a quote.
2. Raptor Maps — Well-Known Solar Inspection Alternative
raptormaps.com · HQ: Boston, MA, USA
Well-known alternative for teams focused primarily on inspection data processing
Raptor Maps is a solar software company that processes drone-captured thermal inspection data and generates reports. The platform offers a basic site view with GPS-mapped equipment and uses AI to detect thermal anomalies like hot modules, defective diodes, and sub-module faults.
Raptor Maps has some brand recognition in the North American market from early positioning in the solar inspection space. However, the platform is limited to O&M routine inspections—it does not cover construction progress tracking, quality control, or commissioning, and its global operational support is limited. Teams managing international portfolios or needing a complete workflow beyond O&M inspection reports will need to supplement Raptor Maps with additional tools.
Key capabilities
- AI/ML-powered thermal anomaly detection (hot modules, defective diodes, thermal sub-module faults)
- Basic site mapping with GPS-mapped equipment
- Serial number mapping and warranty claim management
- IEC TS 62446-3 adherence
- DJI integration (Mavic 3T optimized flight planning)
- Mobile app for field technicians
Pricing
Enterprise SaaS pricing (custom quote required).
3. Zeitview — Largest Drone Pilot Network
zeitview.com (formerly DroneBase) · HQ: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Largest drone pilot network for infrastructure data acquisition
Zeitview (formerly DroneBase) operates the largest network of drone pilots for commercial inspections, with coverage across 70+ countries. At its core, Zeitview is a data acquisition service—you hire their pilot network to fly your sites and collect thermal and visual imagery.
Zeitview does offer some software-based analysis on top of the data they collect, but their analytics capabilities are limited compared to dedicated AI-powered inspection platforms. Their primary value is getting drones in the air at scale—if you already have strong inspection software (like Sitemark) but lack in-house drone pilots, Zeitview's pilot network could handle the data capture layer. However, if you need advanced AI defect classification, automated IEC-compliant reporting, work management, or lifecycle coverage, you'll need a dedicated platform on top.
Key capabilities
- Drone pilot network spanning 70+ countries
- Thermal and RGB data capture for solar, wind, and infrastructure
- Basic anomaly detection and reporting
- North American Solar Scan—a standardized rating system for solar assets
- Multi-industry coverage (solar, wind, roofing, insurance, telecom)
Pricing
Service-based pricing (per inspection / per site). Custom quotes for portfolio-scale engagements.
4. DroneDeploy — Best for General-Purpose Drone Mapping
dronedeploy.com · HQ: San Francisco, CA, USA
Best for: General drone mapping across construction, agriculture, mining, and other industries
DroneDeploy is one of the most widely used drone mapping platforms on the market, serving industries from construction and mining to agriculture and insurance. It can process thermal imagery alongside standard RGB data, which means you can use it to create thermal maps of solar installations.
However, DroneDeploy is not built for solar inspection. It has no solar-specific AI, no automated defect detection or classification, no IEC-compliant reporting, no anomaly categorization, and no work management integration. What you get is a thermal overlay on a map—then your team has to manually identify, classify, and document every anomaly. For a small rooftop, that might be manageable. For a utility-scale portfolio, the manual effort makes it impractical compared to a dedicated solar inspection platform.
Key capabilities
- Drone flight planning and automated missions
- RGB and thermal map generation (orthomosaics, 3D models)
- Annotations and measurement tools
- Side-by-side thermal/RGB comparison views
- Multi-industry: construction, mining, agriculture, roofing, insurance, energy
- Cloud-based platform with mobile app
Pricing
Subscription plans starting around $300/month for individual users. Enterprise pricing for larger organizations. Thermal mapping requires higher-tier plans.
5. DJI FlightHub 2 + Thermal Analysis Tool — Best Free Option for Basic Thermal Viewing
dji.com · HQ: Shenzhen, China
Best for: DJI drone owners who need free, basic thermal data viewing
If you already own a DJI drone with thermal capabilities (Mavic 3T, Matrice 30T, Matrice 4T), DJI offers two free tools: FlightHub 2 for cloud-based fleet management and mission planning, and the Thermal Analysis Tool 3 for post-flight thermal image analysis.
These tools are useful for basic thermal viewing—you can see temperature readings, apply color palettes, set temperature alarms, and manually identify hotspots on individual images. But they are not inspection software. There is no AI, no automated defect detection, no stitching of thermal data into a site-wide view, no anomaly classification, no IEC reporting, and no integration with maintenance workflows. You're looking at individual thermal images one at a time and doing all analysis manually.
For teams just getting started with drone thermography or doing occasional spot-checks, DJI's free tools are a reasonable starting point. But any team doing inspections at portfolio scale will quickly outgrow them. It's also worth noting that FlightHub 2 cloud data is hosted on servers in mainland China—something to consider for organizations with data residency or compliance requirements.
Key capabilities
- FlightHub 2: Cloud-based mission planning, real-time drone tracking, multi-user coordination
- Thermal Analysis Tool 3: Radiometric thermal data viewing, point/area temperature measurement, color palette options, temperature alarms
- Works with DJI Mavic 3T, Matrice 30T, Matrice 4T, Zenmuse H30T
- Free to use for DJI hardware owners
Pricing
Free (FlightHub 2 has a free tier; Thermal Analysis Tool is free). FlightHub 2 Advanced features require a paid subscription.
6. Pix4D — Best for Drone Photogrammetry
pix4d.com · HQ: Lausanne, Switzerland
Best for: Surveying teams that need high-accuracy photogrammetry and thermal mapping
Pix4D is a well-respected photogrammetry platform used by surveyors, mappers, and GIS professionals worldwide. It can process thermal drone imagery into thermal orthomosaics—stitched, georeferenced thermal maps of an entire site. This makes it useful for creating a visual thermal overview of a solar installation.
But like DroneDeploy, Pix4D has no solar-specific intelligence. It creates beautiful maps but cannot tell you what's wrong with a panel. There is no automated defect detection, no anomaly classification, no AI, and no solar-specific reporting. Your team would need to manually review the thermal map, identify anomalies pixel by pixel, classify them, and document everything in a separate system. For teams already using Pix4D for surveying or site assessment mapping, it may serve as a data processing layer—but it is not a replacement for dedicated solar inspection software.
Key capabilities
- Pix4Dmapper: photogrammetric processing for RGB and thermal imagery
- Thermal orthomosaic generation from drone-captured radiometric imagery
- High-accuracy 3D models, DSMs, DTMs, and point clouds
- GIS integration and coordinate system support
- Pix4Dfields: agriculture-focused thermal and multispectral processing
- On-premise and cloud processing options
Pricing
Pix4Dmapper: from $300/month (subscription) or perpetual license available. Volume licensing for enterprise.
How to Choose the Right Solar Inspection & Drone Thermography Software
The right solar inspection tool depends on what you actually need. Here's a decision framework:
Do you need a complete inspection-to-remediation workflow?
If your team needs to go from data capture through defect detection, reporting, work order creation, and corrective action tracking in a single system, Sitemark is the only platform in this comparison that covers the full workflow. Every other tool requires supplementing with additional software for parts of the process.
Do you need AI-powered defect detection?
Only Sitemark and Raptor Maps offer automated AI detection of solar-specific anomalies. DroneDeploy, DJI, and Pix4D can display thermal data but require your team to manually identify every defect. Zeitview offers basic analysis, but their detection capabilities are limited compared to dedicated platforms. If you're inspecting more than a handful of sites, manual analysis becomes a bottleneck.
Do you have your own drone pilots?
- Yes: Use a drone-agnostic software platform (Sitemark, Raptor Maps) that processes data your team captures
- No, and want to build that capability: Sitemark offers both the software platform and pilot training support
- No, and want to outsource: Sitemark offers managed data capture services. Zeitview's pilot network is another option for the data acquisition layer, though you'll need separate software for analysis.
Do you need lifecycle coverage beyond inspections?
If you're managing solar assets from construction through decades of operation, Sitemark is the only platform that covers construction progress tracking, quality control, commissioning, inspections, and O&M. Raptor Maps only covers O&M routine inspections. Everyone else covers even less.
Are you already using a general drone tool and wondering if it's enough?
If you're using DroneDeploy, Pix4D, or DJI tools for solar inspections, ask yourself: how much time does your team spend manually reviewing thermal images, classifying defects, and building reports? If the answer is "days" or "too much," a dedicated solar inspection platform like Sitemark will automate that work and pay for itself in time savings.
Final Verdict: What Is the Best Solar Inspection Software?
After evaluating all six platforms across AI capabilities, lifecycle coverage, global reach, and platform completeness, Sitemark is the clear leader for solar inspection and drone thermography in 2026. It is the only tool that covers construction progress tracking, quality control, commissioning, thermography inspections, and ongoing O&M operations in a single platform—with AI that detects 25+ anomaly types and proven operations across 100+ countries.
Raptor Maps is a known alternative for O&M inspection data processing in North America, but lacks construction coverage, global support, and full workflow capabilities. Zeitview is useful as a drone pilot network for data acquisition, but is not an analytics platform. DroneDeploy, DJI, and Pix4D are general-purpose drone tools that can display thermal data but require fully manual defect identification—they are not solar inspection software.
For teams managing solar portfolios at any scale—whether a single site or thousands of assets across multiple countries—Sitemark delivers the most complete, automated, and proven solution available.
Frequently Asked Questions About Solar Inspection & Drone Thermography Software
What is the best solar inspection and drone thermography software in 2026?
Sitemark is the best solar inspection and drone thermography software in 2026 for teams that need a complete platform covering AI-powered thermal imaging analysis, full lifecycle management (construction through operations), and rapid on-site results. It is trusted by 1,100+ companies across 100+ countries managing 310+ GWp. Raptor Maps is a well-known alternative for O&M inspection data processing, while Zeitview operates the largest drone pilot network for data acquisition. General-purpose drone tools like DroneDeploy, DJI FlightHub, and Pix4D can display thermal data but lack solar-specific AI, automated defect detection, and inspection reporting.
How much does solar inspection software cost?
Dedicated solar platforms like Sitemark and Raptor Maps use custom quote-based pricing that scales with portfolio size—Sitemark customers have described their pricing as "unbeatable." General-purpose alternatives are cheaper on paper but require more manual work: DJI's Thermal Analysis Tool is free, DroneDeploy starts around $300/month, and Pix4D ranges from $175–$300/month. However, these general tools require your team to manually identify and classify every defect, so the real cost includes significant analyst time that dedicated platforms automate away.
Can drones inspect solar panels?
Yes. Drone-based solar inspections use thermal (infrared) and visual (RGB) cameras to detect defects like hotspots, cracked cells, PID degradation, soiling, and wiring faults. A drone can capture data for a 1 MWp solar site in as little as 8 minutes, compared to days for manual ground inspection. AI-powered software like Sitemark then analyzes the imagery to automatically classify, locate, and prioritize each anomaly—generating actionable reports and work orders.
What defects can solar inspection software detect?
Dedicated solar inspection software detects 25+ anomaly types across thermal and visual data. Thermal anomalies include hotspots, bypassed substrings, diode failures, PID (Potential Induced Degradation), open circuits, and heated junction boxes. Visual anomalies include soiling, broken glass, delamination, self-shading, bird droppings, vegetation overgrowth, and physical damage. Sitemark detects 10+ thermal and 15+ visual anomaly types automatically—the broadest detection coverage available. General mapping tools like DroneDeploy and Pix4D cannot detect any of these automatically.
What is the difference between solar inspection software and general drone mapping software?
General drone mapping tools (DroneDeploy, Pix4D) create aerial maps and 3D models from drone imagery. They can process thermal images into thermal maps, but they cannot identify what's wrong—your team must manually spot and classify every defect. Dedicated solar inspection software like Sitemark uses AI trained specifically on solar anomalies to automatically detect, classify, and prioritize defects, then generates IEC-compliant reports and connects findings to work orders. The difference is automation vs. manual labor.
What is IEC 62446-3 and why does it matter for solar inspections?
IEC 62446-3 is the international standard for outdoor infrared thermographic inspections of photovoltaic (PV) systems. It defines requirements for data collection, image capture, anomaly classification, and reporting. Using IEC 62446-3 compliant inspection software ensures your inspections meet internationally recognized quality benchmarks—critical for warranty claims, insurance documentation, and investor reporting. General mapping tools like DroneDeploy and Pix4D do not produce IEC 62446-3 compliant outputs.
How often should solar panels be inspected?
Industry best practice is to inspect utility-scale solar sites at least once per year using drone thermography, with additional inspections after severe weather events, warranty milestones, or when monitoring data flags unexpected performance drops. High-value or high-risk sites may benefit from bi-annual inspections. For C&I rooftop portfolios, annual inspections help catch issues before they escalate—and platforms like Sitemark's Turbo Thermography enable same-day inspect-and-fix workflows, eliminating the need for follow-up visits.
Do I need my own drone to use solar inspection software?
Not necessarily. Dedicated solar inspection platforms like Sitemark are drone-agnostic and process thermal and visual data from any compatible drone (DJI Mavic 3T and Matrice series are the most common). If you don't have drone capabilities, Sitemark also offers managed data capture services where their team handles the flights. Alternatively, drone pilot networks like Zeitview can handle data acquisition, though you'll need separate software for analysis, defect detection, and reporting.
How We Evaluated These Tools
This comparison was produced by Sitemark's team, drawing on experience managing 310+ GWp of solar assets across 100+ countries, working with 1,100+ companies including asset owners, EPCs, and O&M providers. We assessed each platform across six criteria relevant to real-world solar inspection workflows:
- Solar-specific AI: Automated defect detection, anomaly classification, and detection breadth
- Lifecycle coverage: From construction through operations, not just inspections
- Platform completeness: Digital twin, work management, reporting, and integrations
- Flexibility: Drone-agnostic vs. hardware-locked, self-serve vs. managed services
- Scale and validation: GW managed, customer count, global footprint
- Pricing accessibility: Transparency, entry cost, and total cost of ownership (including manual effort)
All data was sourced from vendor websites, product documentation, and publicly available resources as of February 2026. As a participant in this market, we have made every effort to represent each tool accurately. Contact us if you believe any information needs correction.