Drones are Labor-Saving Devices for one California Solar Developer
This was originally published on Solar Industry Magazine. Not only are the drones labor-saving, they are reducing human risk, increasing overall quality, and reducing cost. We applaud the team at CalCom Solar and hope you enjoy reading the article.
“CalCom Solar, a Visalia, Calif.-based engineering, procurement and construction firm for solar photovoltaic installations, is testing the waters of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and, in the process, seeing a slew of future applications.
Nic Stover, the company’s CEO, is no stranger to the technology: The final project of his Master’s degree program last year involved the applications of UAVs in agriculture, where there is a “tremendous need” for unmanned aircraft.
CalCom Solar, which specializes in developing solar projects on agricultural land, is in a nascent stage of using UAVs, he says. Operating a DJI Phantom 2, the company has captured – through both photo and video – aerial views of several completed solar projects, including a 1 MW ground-mounted array on a tomato farm in Firebaugh, Calif.
Solar racking systems company GameChange Racking recently shared a video of this installation – offering what it calls a “stunning” view of the project, featuring the company’s Pour-in-Place ballasted ground system.”
