At the SolarPACES 2018 conference in Casablanca, Morocco, a team of researchers from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) won the “SolarPACES Technology Innovation Award” for their work on aerial, UAV-based inspection of solar fields with the QFly technology. This innovative technology is already offered by CSP Services to perform commercial solar field characterizations on a global level.

Just before the award, CSP Services GmbH (Germany) and the start-up company Farasha Systems SARL (Morocco) had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cooperate in the commercial application of QFly in Morocco. It is intended to further extend the area of partnership to North Africa and the entire MENA region. The signing ceremony took place during the SolarPACES 2018 conference in Casablanca and was witnessed by His Excellency Aziz Rebbah, Moroccan Minister of Energy, Mines and Sustainable Development.

The partnership will focus on the utilization of the technology, developed and patented by the Institute of Solar Research of the German Aerospace Center (DLR), and licensed to CSP Services. The technology allows an unprecedented level of optical characterization of solar collector fields of enormous extensions. While CSP Services guides the measurement and performs the data evaluation and reporting, Farasha Systems will be the local partner to perform the measurements on site, considering local flight requirements and regulations. Farasha Systems will complement the optical measurements with further automated solar field maintenance solutions. The partnership is intended to maximize the flexibility in agreement with the client’s needs.

The UAV-based aerial system QFly has recently captured the industry’s attention thanks to delivering the key optical, mechanical, and thermal performance parameters of extremely large solar fields of CSP power plants in a quick, precise, and comprehensive manner. The high technology readiness level of QFly was already successfully proven in first commercial applications. In particular, collector suppliers, construction companies, plant owners and operators have expressed great interest in this technology.

About the companies

CSP Services GmbH is a private and completely independent spin-off company of the German Aerospace Center (DLR). The company was established in 2007 and has offices in Cologne (Germany) and in Almería (Spain). CSP Services is a recognized engineering and testing company acting as an independent service provider in the field of concentrating solar power.

Farasha Systems is a Moroccan R&D start-up, founded in 2016 with the aim of implementing digitalization advances into industrial processes, in order to enhance their sustainability. Farasha Systems is addressing the renewable industry and very active in the Moroccan CSP market. Recently, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has awarded the National Grand Prix for Morocco and the first prize in the category “Renewable Energy” to Farasha Systems.