Airobotics, Solar Drone developing drones for solar panels cleaning

The fully automated system is expected to include a drone docking station for automatic battery replacement and cleaning fluid replenishment, enabling the system to operate continuously. 

  (photo credit: Courtesy Airobotics)
(photo credit: Courtesy Airobotics)

Israeli drone manufacturer Airobotics announced that they will develop a unique solar panel cleaning drone system in a new collaboration with Solar Drone, an Israeli company specializing in solar farms services.  The fully automated system is expected to include a drone docking station for automatic battery replacement and cleaning fluid replenishment, enabling the system to operate continuously. 

Solar panels must be cleaned frequently, especially in dirty or dusty environments, making solar panel cleaning a potentially multi-billion-dollar market. Airobotics and Solar Drone aim to sell in Israel, Europe, India and the UAE. 

Executives from both companies expressed excitement about the collaboration. 

Courtesy Airobotics
Courtesy Airobotics

“Our agreement with Solar Drone can leverage Airobotics’ advanced core technology to help monitor and maintain solar farms,” said Meir Kliner, Airobotics CEO and co-founder: This is another step for us into a multi-billion-dollar market.” 

Shmuel Yanai, Solar Drone founder added: “Today’s solutions are unwieldy, uneconomical, and unable to cope with modern solar farms. We believe the entry of Airobotics’ drone technology into the market is a game changer, with significant economic potential.”