How to Import Missions
Follow this guide to transfer your flight plan from Dronpoint into your DJI drone.
Method A: Enterprise Drones Mavic 3E · Matrice 30/300
Professional controllers with DJI Pilot 2 support direct KML import.
Export & Copy
Click Export KML in Dronpoint. Copy the file to your controller's SD card or internal storage.
Import in Pilot 2
Open the app, tap Mission Flight → Import KML/KMZ. Select your file. The route is ready to fly.
Method B: Consumer Drones Mini 4 · Air 3 · Mavic 3
Consumer drones don't have a direct "Import" button. You must use the Replace Method — it works by substituting the internal mission file with your Dronpoint export.
Create a Placeholder Mission
With drone and controller powered on:
- Open DJI Fly and go to camera view.
- Switch to Waypoint Mode.
- Tap once on the map to add one random point.
- Save the mission — name it something memorable, e.g. My_Flight_Plan.
This creates a folder on your controller that we'll replace in the next step.
Locate the Mission Folder
Connect your DJI RC to your computer via USB (or insert the SD card). Navigate to:
Android / data / dji.go.v5 / files / waypoint
Inside you'll find a folder with a UUID name created just now. Open it — there's a file called template.kmz.
Rename & Replace
- Download your mission from Dronpoint (Export → KMZ).
- Rename your file to exactly
template.kmz. - Copy it into the drone folder and confirm Overwrite.
Ready to Fly
Disconnect the controller. In DJI Fly, open your saved mission My_Flight_Plan — the single placeholder point will be replaced by your full Dronpoint mission.
Solar Panel Inspection
with a Standard DJI Drone
80% of solar panel performance issues — micro-cracks, heavy soiling, delamination and bird droppings — are clearly visible in high-resolution RGB photos. This guide shows you exactly how to fly, shoot and analyse the results using Dronpoint AI.
A DJI Mini 4 Pro or Air 3 shoots at 48 MP. At 20m altitude that gives you a ground resolution of ~0.4 mm/pixel — enough to see micro-cracks smaller than 0.5mm. Thermal cameras are needed only for detecting internal electrical faults (hot spots). Everything visible on the surface is captured better by RGB.
flight_takeoffPart 1 — Pre-Flight Planning
Optimal shooting conditions
| Condition | Ideal | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Time of day | Solar noon ± 2 hours | Early morning, late afternoon |
| Sky | Overcast / thin clouds | Bright direct sun (glare on glass) |
| Wind | Under 5 m/s | Gusts over 8 m/s (blur) |
| Panels | Dry, no frost | Rain / frost on panels |
Direct sunlight creates specular reflection (glare) on the panel glass which obscures surface detail. A thin cloud layer acts as a giant softbox — diffuse, shadow-free lighting is ideal for detecting surface defects.
Flight altitude & coverage
To optimize upload speed and API constraints, Dronpoint automatically compresses your 48MP photos to a maximum width of 2000px on your device before analysis. What the human eye can't see on a 2000px image, the AI won't see either. Flying close to the panels is absolutely critical.
cameraPart 2 — Camera Settings
Always shoot in manual mode — auto exposure will change between frames and make panel-to-panel comparison unreliable.
| Setting | Recommended | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Mode | Manual (M) | Consistent exposure across all frames |
| ISO | 100 (always) | Minimum noise — critical for crack detection |
| Shutter speed | 1/500s or faster | Eliminates motion blur at flying speed |
| Aperture | f/2.8 – f/4 | Sufficient depth of field, maximum light |
| White balance | Fixed (e.g. 5600K Cloudy) | Prevents colour shifts between photos |
| Focus | Fixed / manual ∞ | Autofocus hunts at nadir — lock it |
| Format | JPEG Fine or RAW+JPEG | RAW allows exposure correction in post |
If ISO changes between frames (e.g. 100 to 400 when a cloud passes), the AI will flag noise artifacts as defects and produce false positives. Lock ISO to 100 and let shutter speed absorb light changes.
imagePart 3 — Ideal Photos vs. Common Mistakes
Use these visual references to ensure your dataset is ready for AI analysis.
routePart 4 — Flight Pattern
Plan a grid in Dronpoint
Switch to Area Mode in Dronpoint Planner. Draw the polygon around the entire solar array with some margin. Set:
- Altitude: Fly low enough to see 4-8 panels per frame
- Camera pitch: -70° to -80° (slightly angled)
- Overlap: 20-30% (high overlap is not needed for AI analysis)
- Flight style: Hover & Capture (prevents motion blur)
Flight direction relative to panel rows
Orient the grid perpendicular to panel rows where possible. The camera then crosses each row from above rather than flying alongside it — giving a full perpendicular view without glare from the panel tilt.
In Dronpoint, use the Angle slider in Area Mode to rotate the grid until it crosses panel rows at ~90°. The auto-optimize button will suggest the best angle automatically.
RTH altitude
Set Return to Home altitude at least 10m above the highest obstruction near the array (trees, inverter boxes, fencing). Set this in DJI Fly before starting the mission.
Fly the mission
- Stay nearby and monitor — do not leave the area.
- Watch the live feed for shadows — refly affected rows if a large cloud passes.
- After landing, check that all panels were covered before moving on.
auto_awesomePart 5 — What the AI Detects
Dronpoint AI analyses each uploaded photo and classifies it into one of three states:
Clean surface, no visible cracks, no delamination.
Light soiling, minor shadow, small surface imperfection — monitor.
Visible crack, delamination, heavy droppings, physical damage. Immediate action.
| Issue type | Severity | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Micro-cracks | Medium – Critical | Fine dark or bright lines, often spider-web pattern |
| Heavy soiling | Medium – High | Brown/grey opaque patches, uneven coverage |
| Bird droppings | Low – High | White/grey spots, often clustered |
| Shading | Low – Medium | Dark areas from trees, chimneys or structures |
| Delamination | High – Critical | Bubbling, yellowing, or peeling encapsulant layer |
| Physical damage | Critical | Shattered glass, dented frame, visible penetration |
| Discoloration | Medium | Brownish/yellowish tint, snail trail pattern |
| Misalignment | Low | Panel visibly rotated or shifted in mounting |
cloud_uploadPart 6 — Uploading & Getting the Report
Select your photos
Go to Dronpoint Solar and drag your nadir photos into the upload zone. Up to 50 photos per report. Photos are auto-compressed to ~700KB before AI analysis — originals are archived in full resolution.
Fill in project details
Enter the client name and address. This appears in the PDF report header. Used only for the executive summary — not for visual analysis.
Wait for analysis
Each photo takes ~5–10 seconds. A 10-photo report typically completes in under 2 minutes. Keep the browser tab open — results stream back as each panel is processed.
Download the PDF report
Click Download PDF. The report includes: summary statistics, AI-written executive summary, panel-by-panel table with status and confidence score, and recommended next steps. Reports are saved in your account history and can be re-downloaded any time.
infoPart 7 — What RGB Cannot Detect
| Issue | RGB (Dronpoint) | Thermal |
|---|---|---|
| Micro-cracks (surface visible) | ✓ Detected | Indirect (hotspot only) |
| Soiling & bird droppings | ✓ Detected | ✗ Often invisible |
| Physical / frame damage | ✓ Detected | Partial |
| Delamination (bubbling) | ✓ Detected | ✓ Detected |
| Internal diode failure | ✗ Not visible | ✓ Hot spot |
| Bypass diode bypass | ✗ Not visible | ✓ Cell pattern |
| Shading issues | ✓ Visible in photo | ✓ Hot spot |
Ready to run your first inspection?
Upload your nadir drone photos and get a full AI defect report in under 2 minutes.
auto_awesome Go to Solar Report