In engineering, thermography is used as a non-destructive testing (NDT) method in aerospace, defense and many other industries to detect flaws in structures. Able to inspect large areas, this NDT technique doesn’t require contact with the object being tested and can highlight defects including corrosion; cracking; delamination; disbands; diffusivity; impact damage; moisture ingress; porosity; systemic wall thinning and voids. It can also be used to inspect electrical and mechanical equipment based on the fact that most malfunctioning components will show an increase in temperature, which can be read by the camera.

Thermography involves the use of thermal imagers, which are sophisticated devices that measure the natural emission of infrared radiation from a heated object to produce a thermal picture or video. Modern infrared cameras are portable and easy to operate, meaning that they can be used for many different applications.