Above pioneered the use of patented drone platforms fitted with sensing devices and dual imaging cameras to detect thermal and visual PV module anomalies across utility-scale solar plants. The company’s disruptive SaaS platform, SolarGain, unifies testing and inspection data to support and drive the digital transformation of the solar industry.
Since the formation of the company in 2015, it has inspected over 600 assets and is now supporting customers across four continents. It works with many of the world’s leading solar energy companies to deliver interactive asset health reports through its SaaS platform, SolarGain.
The company will now use these new funds to expand its Engineering and Sales teams and establish a presence to support a growing international customer base.
“At Above we have a vision to transform the way the solar industry manages and monitors assets” said Will Hitchcock, Founder and CEO, Above. “We believe that the use of innovative new and emerging technologies will transform the way we inspect and monitor solar assets, right down to a solar panel cell level. Through leveraging autonomous UAVs, AI and Computer Vision, we believe that our services can significantly increase the profitability of utility-scale solar. This funding will allow us to accelerate R&D, realise our geographic growth ambitions and ultimately bring our new services to the market faster.”
Jeremy Elden, Anglia Capital Group, added that the Above team is well placed to address one of the many real-world problems the transition to a low carbon economy will throw up and to export their services globally.
The company has multiple research and development initiatives focused on drone technology, sensors, AI and computer vision to develop an AI-powered anomaly detection solution. As assets become more intelligent Above’s goal is to revolutionise how the industry use their inspection and testing data to carry out more timely and precise maintenance work. The company is constantly innovating through collaborative research projects with leading UK Universities in the fields of computer vision and solar PV. It currently has two Innovate UK funded projects with the University of Essex and Loughborough University in collaboration with the Centre for Renewable Energy Systems Technology (CREST), the largest and leading UK sustainable energy research centre.
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