Cleaning Drone Applications & Washing Techniques
Using coatings, pressure washing and soft wash techniques, our drones can clean windows, gutters, fascias, buildings, turbines, solar panels and much more
How do I use a drone to clean?
There is more to just strapping a pressure washers to a drone and hoping for the best. Adopting the best cleaning method for the job ensures that you not only get the best results, but you also minimise risk and damage to the cleaning surface
Coating Applications
Coatings are applied between 3 and 12 months and act to destroy algae, lichen, moss and other organic matter. They are usually sprayed onto surfaces and left to dissipate naturally. A large range of algaecides exist on the market many being environmentally friendly.
The AC Lite is purpose built as a coating drone
- Perfect for keeping rooftops, skylights, facades and solar panel free of organic material. Multiple applications may be required over time.
- Easy to apply and requires no wash off or dilution.
- Large range of off-the-shelf cleaning solutions available.
Soft Washing
Soft washing is a cleaning method that shows instant results but does so through the use of deionised filtered water to remove particulates, sometimes with a bit of heat applied to the water.
The principle of Soft Washing is low pressure, high flow rate. Our AC 4 wash drone excels at high flow rates.
- The best way to remove particulates and dirt from a surface during the cleaning operation itself.
- Provides the best method of cleaning solar panels without invalidating warranty*
- Chemical applications can be applied and rinsed on stubborn dirt areas
High Pressure Washing
High Pressure washing uses the full force of the drone to remove dirt and grime. Usually an assessment is conducted to ensure the risk of potential damage to the surface face is limited or acceptable.
Our AC 4 drone provides pressure up to 5000 PSI should you require this to achieve a specialist clean
- Use high pressuring cleaning only when the need requires it and a full evaluation has deemed soft-washing unsuitable
- High Pressure cleaning use for tasks such as graffiti removal or other ingresses.
- Can be combined with a soft wash and used with chemical to help clean areas.
Mini Case Study: Removing Algae from MET Office building
Location: Exeter, UK | Date: March 2021 | Type: Industrial Cleaning & Protection
Objective
To evaluate the residual efficacy of Aspira’s anti-microbial "de-greening" coating compared to standard industrial cleaning alone. The study was conducted on a 125sqm vertical facade at the Met Office headquarters, a site with high exposure to organic spore loads.
- Initial State: Significant biological degradation and algae colonization were present across the masonry.
- Environmental Constraints: The presence of active avian nesting sites required a pH-neutral, non-toxic solution. The application was completed without site closures or disruption to local biodiversity.
The entire 125sqm facade was mechanically cleaned to remove surface contaminants. Immediately following the clean, a bespoke anti-microbial coating was applied to the center section only, leaving the surrounding cleaned masonry as a control variable.
A longitudinal review was conducted nine months post-application to measure the "regrowth delta" between the treated and untreated zones.
- Treated Zone (Center): Maintained 100% surface integrity. The coating continued to neutralize spores through the winter humidity cycle, preventing any organic recolonization.
- Control Zone (Surrounding Area): Algae and biological staining had begun to reappear, demonstrating that standard cleaning alone is insufficient for long-term facade preservation in high-damp environments.
- Longevity Projection: Based on the 9-month performance, the treated area is projected to remain clear for 18+ months, effectively doubling the standard maintenance interval.
