Building Diagnostics Group (BDG), headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, is an industry leader in aerial infrared inspections, locally and throughout the nation, for construction, commercial, industrial and residential applications.
Robert Scherer, President of BDG, is certified in Advanced Building Diagnostics and is an ITC Certified Level III Thermographer with more than 15 years of thermography experience in a wide variety of different applications.
Robert is also a Certified Indoor Environmentalist and Certified Mold Inspector. He has presented at building industry conferences and published white papers on specialty applications for the use of infrared thermography.
What is Aerial Infrared Inspection?
Infrared thermography (IR) is the use of specialized equipment to measure the thermal energy emitted from an object. Thermal energy is light that is not visible because its wavelength is too long to be detected by the human eye. Unlike visible light, in the infrared world, everything with a temperature above absolute zero emits heat.
For fast, reliable infrared inspection from the air, BDG’s team of FAA Authorized Commercial Remote Drone Pilots utilize unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that are specially equipped with FLIR SYSTEMS’ Zenmuse XT 640×512 radiometric infrared camera systems and capable of producing high-resolution images and video. FLIR is the world’s leader in infrared technology.
Aerial drones have become the preferred method for high-resolution infrared thermography, especially for assessments of roofing and building facades during due diligence of commercial or multi-family property acquisitions, as well as for construction site monitoring and other applications.
Infrared Inspection Services
BDG offers aerial services in several different roles, including:
Drone roof inspections –Drone infrared roof inspections are ideal for locating active roof leaks during due diligence of asset acquisitions. They will catch minor penetrations before they have a chance to escalate into costly repairs. This service requires no roof access, causes no disruption to building occupants, and is substantially faster and less expensive than conventional methods of roof inspection.
Construction site monitoring – Building and construction site aerial drone inspections can be a simple, one-time aerial image or multiple images over a specific period. Aerial site data can be collected at predetermined intervals or during specific project milestones. The data capture requires no direct interaction with the site and allows work to continue undisturbed.
Drone solar panel inspections – Aerial thermography for solar panel field evaluations is performed under normal operating conditions and does not require a shutdown. Temporary “shadowing” from debris or other contaminants, as well as anomalies associated with defects, damage, poor connections, and defective bypass diodes are easily detected and documented for required repairs. The service is extremely cost-effective because it eliminates fees for helicopter rental, pilot payment, fuel bills, and other associated costs.
Aerial tower and structure inspections – BDG provides high-resolution digital photography and infrared thermal imaging services to help maintain, build, or modify water tower structures or any other elevated structure. Complete documentation includes noting visible deficiencies, documenting the condition of the existing coating, determining hardware failures, and providing general overall tower conditions.
As a multifaceted consulting firm, Building Diagnostics Group can put our aerial infrared inspection services to work for your application. To receive a quote or additional information, please contact us at (888) 317-4568 to discuss your project.
