AMPP News

The cleaning, coating, and nondestructive testing of corrosion-susceptible and other surfaces requires extensive manual labor, often at vertical heights that can create a dangerous occupational environment.

Drones, also known as unmanned aerial systems (UAS), can be leveraged to perform some of these tasks, including cleaning and coating, while keeping workers safely on the ground. Drone capabilities have significantly evolved over the past decade, and it is expected that the ubiquity of such systems will continue to increase in the years to come.

This paper and presentation from Robert Dahlstrom of Apellix and Chuck Rosales of AkzoNobel details the development of a spray-painting drone by an aerial robotics company as part of a joint development agreement with a paint manufacturer. This system is a custom manufactured drone with a tether to the aircraft from the ground to deliver power and coating material. An on-board computer manages flight navigation along with intelligent spraying.

While the utilization of this new technology faces many challenges, it is important to recognize the potential and projected growth of such systems. An introduction to the current state of coating and cleaning drones will be discussed, along with limitations and benefits the system can provide to the coatings industry. Check out the full presentation from 1:00 to 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 16, at the Phoenix Convention Center, North 222 A-B.