Defect inspection of photovoltaic solar modules using aerial electroluminescence (EL): A review

In recent years, aerial defect inspection methods have emerged as cost-efficient and rapid approaches, proving to be reliable techniques for detecting failures in photovoltaic (PV) systems. These methods are designed to swiftly conduct comprehensive monitoring of PV power plants, spanning from the commissioning phase to the entire operational lifetime. This paper presents a literature review on reported the aerial EL framework for PV system inspection. EL inspection on PV modules can be used to detect of defects, cracks, shunting, etc., with the aim of assisting to overcome any possible future major breakdown in the modules. While there are comprehensive review articles covering subjects such as infrared thermography (IRT), digital image processing (DIP), EL inspection classification, and deep learning techniques, there is currently no focused review exclusively on aerial EL inspection. In this mini review, we delve into the latest articles on aerial EL inspection, highlighting both the advantages and drawbacks of this technique. The contribution of this paper is to provide a focused review of the aerial EL inspection technique as a cutting-edge solution for evaluating module quality and identifying defective modules or problem areas.