LOUISVILLE, Kentucky – A Pittsburgh-based company is taking Louisville by storm with its approach to cleaning buildings.
What you need to know
- Drones clean the KFC Yum! Center with high-pressure cleaners
- Pittsburgh-based Aeras Fog is using its technology to provide the building with much-needed cleaning
- Its co-founder, Justin Melanson, has been building and developing drones for more than 15 years
- Melanson was previously in Louisville to help with the redevelopment of Churchill Downs
Over the course of several days, Aeras Fog deployed a large drone to power-clean the KFC Yum! Center. Justin Melanson, the company’s co-founder and drone pilot, has patented a process in which a tethered drone sprays water onto the surface at a pressure of 5,000 pounds per square inch.
“I am an inventor and have been building drones for over 15 years,” Melanson said.
Members of Aeras Fog clean the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville with drones. (Spectrum News 1/Jonathon Gregg)
During that time, Melanson has perfected flying drones and said he has assisted law enforcement agencies in conducting search and rescue operations. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he developed a drone-based disinfection system and has been to Louisville before, not to power wash windows but to disinfect Churchill Downs.
“We were able to help them reopen in the first year after (COVID-19),” Melanson said. “We were able to come through with huge autonomous drones and disinfect the entire Churchill Downs.”
Melanson said using a drone was safer than cleaning by hand, and that onboard radar would prevent the flying water cannon from colliding with buildings.
“Even if you wanted to, it would be impossible,” Melanson said.
Learn more about Aeras Fog on the website.
