- Confirm the analysis input specification.
- Test one block from capture to field location.
- Use current hardware requirements, not historic mission settings.
Ask what the analyst needs to receive
Request the analysis provider’s input specification: image type, coverage, capture conditions, location reference and file naming. Then build a small mission around that specification. This prevents a full day of collection from producing imagery the analyst cannot use.
A module observation should remain tied to the site’s array structure. Agree how block, row and component identifiers will appear in the delivered findings. Coordinates alone may not match the way the maintenance team works.
- 01CaptureAnalyst-defined images
- 02AnalyzeLocated, reviewed findings
- 03MaintainAn identifiable field task
Test a complete block
Capture a representative block and transfer the originals through the intended upload route. Ask the analyst to return a located observation, then ask the maintenance crew to identify it in the field. This small loop tests the data and the final handoff together.
Use the analyst’s mission-specific requirements rather than borrowing altitude, speed or overlap from a different site. Site geometry, the selected camera and the agreed analysis method belong in the mission settings.
Choose between a visiting crew and a maintained site
| Operating pattern | Hardware direction | Additional requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Crew visits several sites | Portable thermal aircraft | Transport, spare power and repeatable capture instructions. |
| Modular inspection program | Supported aircraft with a thermal payload | Payload installation and a production workflow. |
| Recurring work at one maintained site | Dock deployment | Power, network, service access and readiness ownership. |
Keep capture and diagnosis separate
Matrice 4T is a portable thermal option; Dock 3 with the appropriate thermal aircraft is a site option. Hardware selection should follow the analysis requirements already tested.
The 2023 Texas case in this library used an earlier Dock and M30T Dock Version. It is useful for studying location, upload and maintenance handoff, not for copying its equipment list into a current Dock 3 order. Keep a qualified reviewer responsible for interpreting the findings.