What the old methods actually cost
A boom lift is not just an equipment line. It is a blocked porte-cochère, rooms taken out of service, landscaping at risk, and a person at height whose insurance loads the invoice. Scaffolding multiplies all of that by days.
Pressure washing from the ground cannot reach a fourth-story spandrel without painting the sidewalk. Pressure washing from a roof edge puts someone on a ladder. That is the accident the industry keeps having.
What a drone changes on an occupied building
The aircraft works the elevation from the air. Guests keep their rooms. Offices keep working. We stage from a parking stall. Interior access is not required. The water is purified, so it does not leave the mineral tattoo a tap-water blast leaves on dark glass.
- Ladders, booms, swing stages → certified aircraft and a compact ground crew.
- Boots on glass and shingles → zero roof traffic.
- Lots blocked, rooms dark → occupied buildings, guests never know.
- Days of disruption → hours, not days.
When a drone is the wrong tool
Failed caulk, crumbling stucco, and interiors still need hands. Some urban canyons deny line of sight. Extreme wind grounds us, as it should. If the address is a poor fit, you hear that in the site review — not after a crew arrives.
The invoice you stop paying
Fall-risk premiums, lift rental, traffic control, and lost room nights are the quiet majority of a traditional exterior wash. Taking people off the elevation removes those lines. The wash itself is the smaller story.
Can you reach a high-rise?+–
Often, yes — with line of sight, a water tether, and airspace clearance. Dense downtown sites may need extra coordination. Send the address.
Will guests see or hear it?+–
They may notice an aircraft for an hour. They will not lose a room or walk through a lift. Hotels we fly usually keep the wing sold.
Is this just a smaller pressure washer?+–
No. Controlled purified water, a precision boom, and a Part 107 pilot. A 3,000 PSI wand from a boom is a different job with a different risk.
