The cleaning drone we sell — and every other platform, compared honestly.
The ABZ C10 is the platform we sell, train on, and support. Everything below it is the industry directory: every other cleaning drone platform we could document, compared with the same honest labels. The interview sets the configuration and the quote.
There is no best cleaning drone. There is the right system for your buildings, your pressure, and your budget. This page starts with the one we stand behind, then compares every other cleaning drone platform we could document, tells you who each one actually fits, and flags what nobody selling one will tell you.
Our aircraft dealer partner is Drone Nerds, Dania Beach, FL. Where a platform is sold through them, we say so.
The platform we sell: ABZ C10
ABZ Innovation (Hungary) built this one to clean. It is tethered and ground-fed: the pump lives on the ground, the hose feeds the drone. We sell the C10, we train you on it, and we support what we sell.
- Priced by quote. The setup review prices your full configuration — aircraft, ground equipment, and training — because the right bundle depends on your buildings.
- Up to about 2,900 PSI, 4 GPM, 197 ft working height. Ground-fed tethered; water comes from the ground pump. Per the manufacturer
- Closed service model: the operator swaps props and batteries; everything else goes through authorized service centers. No US service center publicized. Per the manufacturer
- NDAA status unpublished; treat as non-NDAA. We could not verify
- Red flag: the documented optional ground pump is 400V/50Hz European. Per the manufacturer We could not verify a US pump configuration. We could not verify Confirm the US ground pump spec before quoting.
Who it fits: operators who already own ground pressure equipment and want the lowest-cost purpose-built cleaning platform; facades, glass, solar, silos, rooftops.
What to watch out for: the pump, hose, and handling are part of the purchase and sit on the ground crew's side of the job; 2,900 PSI suits soft to medium pressure work, not heavy buildup; the service model is closed; and the US ground pump spec is unconfirmed.
Sold on the C10 — or still comparing? The setup review prices your configuration and tells you straight whether the ABZ fits your buildings and your budget.
How to read this page
Every claim on this page carries a label so you know what it is. Per the manufacturer means the number comes from the maker's own page or datasheet. Per press means the number comes from independent press (flagged when the press piece looks company-supplied). We could not verify means we could not confirm it, and we say so in plain words right next to the claim. Estimate means it is a clearly labeled estimate, and we say what it is based on.
We will also tell you when a cheaper path fits better: a Tucker pole, an inspected preowned ship, or not buying yet. The setup review is where that call gets made.
How the aircraft fits the bands
The aircraft is one part of a system. On the equipment page, the DRONE band (30k to 65k) covers the aircraft, batteries, and flight gear. The complete system band (64k to 105k) covers the drone, the ground system, and training. Which platform sits in which band is decided in the interview, not hardcoded on this page.
Still deciding which band fits? Answer five questions, get an honest answer. The setup builder will talk you out of buying when the numbers do not work. Live prices move, so we confirm current pricing in the setup review.
The industry directory
This is the rest of the cleaning drone industry, documented the same way: every platform we could find, with who each one actually fits. The ABZ C10 above is the one we sell and support; the directory exists so operators can research the whole field before they talk to us. If you build cleaning drones and your platform is not listed here, see Get listed below.
Cleaning drone comparison, Group A: integrated purpose-built platforms
These ships were built to clean. Own pump, onboard tank or a purpose-built ground feed, cleaning-first design. Our featured platform (above) is the ABZ C10; these are the other purpose-built platforms in the directory.
Apellix B2 (and Blue NDAA)
Apellix (Jacksonville, FL) sells the B2 direct through its own sales team. The Blue NDAA variant is the only cleaning drone validated on the Nebraska Secure Drone list, which matters for government contractors.
- $47,000 drone, reported identically by two press sources. Quote only; Apellix publishes no list price. Blue NDAA variant $60,000 (drone plus accessories). Per press
- Up to 4,000 PSI, up to 11 GPM, up to 195 ft max height. Per the manufacturer
- Autonomy (AirTrace/AirShift) is $500/mo extra (Apellix Intelligence Premium). All-in startup $75,000 to $105,000 (drone plus about $30,000 in ground gear), from a sponsored press guide. Per press
- Warranty: 1 year parts and labor, with 2 and 3-year extended add-ons. Service is factory-centered; no independent service network is published. Per the manufacturer
- NDAA: Blue validated on the Nebraska Secure Drone list. The only cleaning drone with that validation. Per press plus government list
Who it fits: owner-operators and industrial services companies doing facades, tanks, ships, stadiums, solar, and municipal work; operators who want real autonomy and US support; government contractors via the Blue variant.
What to watch out for: 195 ft is the lowest headline reach of the big three, autonomy costs extra on top of a $47,000 quote-only price, and the price is press-reported only because the maker publishes no list price.
Lucid Bots Sherpa C1
Lucid Bots (Charlotte, NC) sells direct and through one reseller. The spec list below uses published prices only.
- $45,750 to $75,000, maker FAQ base to press full package. Refresh subscription: Launch $2,950/mo, Growth $3,500/mo, Scale $5,000/mo (current September 2026 terms, no long-term commitment). Per the manufacturer
- Warranty: 1 year. NDAA config available. Per the manufacturer
Who it fits: new and growing exterior-cleaning operators who want the subscription path, window-washing specialists (the window payload is an add-on), modular add-on buyers, and government work via the NDAA config.
What to watch out for: the $45,750 base is facade-only, the window payload is an add-on; the Power Tether needs a generator and has no published price.
Hylio AG-210
This is NOT a purpose-built cleaning drone. It is an ag spray platform some operators use for light rinsing. Keep it in the lineup so the comparison stays honest.
- $23,200 reseller estimate only, single figure, no new price data since. Hylio publishes no list price. Estimate
- 75 PSI rinse, 2.5 gal tank, about 8 minutes of flight at full payload. Per the manufacturer
- The cleaning claim rests on one 2025 CEO quote. No published cleaning performance data exists. We could not verify
Who it fits: solar farm operators who want light panel dust rinsing inside existing ag operations.
What to watch out for: 75 PSI is a rinse, not pressure washing. Not for facades, windows, roofs, or concrete, and there is no published cleaning performance data to verify any cleaning claim.
Group B: ground-fed retrofit and smaller cleaning drone platforms
These drones clean by tethering to ground equipment or retrofitting a cleaning system onto an airframe built for something else. Cheaper entry, more ground gear, more operator responsibility.
Aspira AC Lite / AC 4 / AC HL
Aspira Aerial Applications (Nottinghamshire, UK) publishes GBP only. Bought in the US through distributor WashDrones, with training and insurance packaging.
- Orientation pricing only: about $23,000 (AC Lite), $31,100 (AC 4), $37,900 (AC 4.2), converted from GBP at a mid-market rate. NOT company pricing; Aspira publishes no USD list price. Estimate
- PSI conflict: the maker claims up to 5,000 PSI (AC 4); US distributor WashDrones describes 2,500 PSI. Per the manufacturer and Per press We do not state a single PSI figure because the two sources disagree.
- Warranty: 12-month return-to-base (UK routing). No named US service address; no published maintenance schedule. Per the manufacturer
Who it fits: commercial operators who want a European wash drone with coatings capability, bought through WashDrones with training and insurance packaging.
What to watch out for: no USD price, no named US service center, no maintenance schedule, and two different PSI figures depending on who you ask.
Desert Aerial Technologies
A tiny new US custom builder selling hexacopter cleaning systems direct only. Ground-fed: the buyer supplies the ground pressure system. The business entity itself is unverified: no address, registration, phone, team, reviews, or press footprint found.
- $22,000 standard / $28,000 professional (maker, September 12). No published PSI. Per the manufacturer
- No warranty terms published. Key upgrades require factory install. We could not verify
- Business entity unverified. Verify directly (invoicing address, reference customer, written warranty) before any purchase decision. We could not verify
Who it fits: early-adopter operators comfortable with a small custom builder, with their own ground pressure gear, willing to verify the business first.
What to watch out for: unverified business, no warranty terms, no published PSI, and factory-only integration on key upgrades. This one is for operators who do due diligence as a habit.
AhatTek
A commercial window and facade cleaning drone on a 2017-era DJI MG-1P airframe, sold direct with a two-operator workflow: one flies, one drives the cleaning tip. It also sells the standalone PrecisionFlow nozzle as a cross-platform upgrade for existing Lucid and Apellix fleets, the only accessory revenue stream in this group.
- $29,995 for the full cleaning drone package (maker, September 12; not re-verified September 13). Per the manufacturer
- Up to 4,500 PSI, the highest published PSI in the retrofit class; two-operator workflow (one flies, one drives the cleaning tip). Per the manufacturer
- Warranty: 3-year advertised on a June promo; standard warranty terms unpublished. We could not verify
- NDAA: DJI MG-1P 2017-era airframe; very likely ineligible for federal work. Estimate (labeled inference, not a company claim)
- Testimonials: two named, company-published, not verified case studies. Per the manufacturer
Who it fits: private-sector commercial window, facade, and water-tower operators who want the highest published retrofit PSI with a two-operator workflow; plus Lucid and Apellix owners who want the PrecisionFlow nozzle upgrade.
What to watch out for: no standard warranty terms, no published maintenance schedule or parts catalog, a 2017-era airframe with parts-availability questions, and $29,995 buys the drone, not the ground pressure washer.
Aquiline AD Endure
Aquiline Drones (Hartford, CT) claims US-made. Service is franchise-gated through its MMRO network; no published warranty and no published pricing.
- $30,000, stale 2024-2025 press figure only; current pricing unknown. Per press
- US-made claim (maker). Franchise-gated service (MMRO); no published warranty, no published pricing. Per the manufacturer
- WSDOT graffiti pilot: press coverage plus a company quote. Per press CALTRANS selection claim: company LinkedIn only, unconfirmed. We could not verify
Who it fits: municipalities, DOTs, and franchise-system operators who want a US-made heavy-lift platform with franchise support infrastructure.
What to watch out for: the only price is two years old, no published warranty, and the CALTRANS claim is company-sourced only. Anyone buying or servicing AD aircraft does so on negotiated terms.
Group C: DJI airframes with third-party cleaning payloads
The airframe is a DJI enterprise drone; the cleaning happens through third-party spray payloads. The core risk is the service split: DJI services the airframe, the payload maker services the spray kit. Two desks, one problem. Confirm both before buying.
DJI Matrice 400: the new flagship
DJI's current top enterprise platform, the successor to the Matrice 350 RTK. It is NOT a cleaning drone out of the box. Drone Nerds carries the M400 in its enterprise inventory at $10,450 (dealer pricing observed September 2026). Airframe listings run $10,400 to $10,450; tariffs may affect final pricing.
- 59-minute max flight time, measured with the H30T payload at sea level Per the manufacturer
- About 13 lb payload capacity, up to 7 simultaneous payloads Per the manufacturer
- IP55 rating, operates from -4°F to 122°F Per the manufacturer
- LiDAR plus mmWave radar obstacle sensing, down to power-line level Per the manufacturer
- Open data interfaces for third-party payloads; compatible with Matrice 350 payloads Per the manufacturer
- NOT NDAA-compliant. Per press
Third-party cleaning payloads (all vendor claims, labeled): DroneBase DCS, EUR 14,518 to EUR 41,602 bands; its "only DJI-certified" statement is a vendor claim with no DJI-issued confirmation. Per press Foxtech T50: up to 3,045 PSI adjustable to 3,771, and a 394 ft claimed operating height that is a maker claim, not regulatory permission. Per the manufacturer AeroClean T-M400C dual water and power tether: EUR 18,300. Per press Wisson AP3-P3: EUR 9,753 to EUR 11,992 incl tax; M300/M350 certified, M400 dealer-demonstrated only. Per press EAUAV M400 kit: 2,175 PSI; price and warranty unknown. Per the manufacturer Pliabot: no specs or pricing captured this pass. We could not verify
Who it fits: operators who already fly DJI fleets and want to add cleaning as a module; budget-conscious entries via third-party payloads. Not for government work and not for buyers who need single-vendor service.
What to watch out for: the service split is the real risk, and it is the most ship for the money, which makes it the wrong answer for low-rise maintenance work where a smaller platform or a pole does the job cheaper. Best-fit cleaning use case: high-rise facades and long-endurance jobs where the job size justifies the flagship.
DJI Matrice 350 RTK: the proven workhorse
The enterprise platform the M400 replaced, and the most-supported cleaning airframe in the field. Drone Nerds lists the airframe at $8,649 (airframe-only, no Care, no batteries). Configured bands run $9,000 to $15,000 depending on batteries, Care coverage, and dealer. The 2023 launch price of $11,540 is stale and we do not use it.
- Up to 55 minutes of flight time, no payload Per the manufacturer
- IP55 rating; operates from -4°F to 122°F Per the manufacturer
- 2.7 kg (about 6 lb) max payload Per the manufacturer
- TB65 hot-swap batteries, up to 400 charge cycles; BS65 battery station Per the manufacturer
- NOT NDAA-compliant. Same service-split caveat as the M400. Per press
Who it fits: the cheapest airframe path into cleaning payloads; buyers with existing M350 batteries and fleet; the Prover path when an inspected preowned ship passes our checklist.
What to watch out for: the 6 lb payload ceiling is the real constraint. Every cleaning payload has to fit inside it, which rules out the heavier spray kits the M400 can carry. It is also last generation, so the interview prices it against the M400 honestly instead of pretending the difference does not exist. Best-fit cleaning use case: mid-rise maintenance washing on a known platform with the deepest parts and support bench in the business.
Group D: watch list, not buy options
ZenaDrone IQ Square
ZenaTech's AI-powered rotary VTOL is a pre-commercial concept, not a buy option. The company's own words (September 8, 2026): the cleaning capability is at the testing stage and is not yet in commercial deployment. Per the manufacturer
- DaaS model: ZenaTech owns the drones, hires the pilots, and sells subscription or pay-per-use service. No hardware sale. Per the manufacturer
- Franchise at the planning stage. No published pricing of any kind, no franchise terms published. We could not verify
Who it fits: investors and franchise buyers watching pre-commercial concepts. Not for operators who need buyable equipment today.
Cleaning drone comparison: pick by method fit, not by feature list
Do not shop this page like a spec sheet. Pick in this order.
First, pick by architecture. Integrated purpose-built platforms own their pump and design (Apellix, Lucid, ABZ). Ground-fed retrofit platforms tether to equipment you own or supply (Aspira, Desert Aerial, AhatTek, Aquiline). DJI airframe plus payload splits the airframe and the spray kit across two vendors. The watch list is not for sale. The ABZ C10 is the platform we sell, train on, and support; the interview configures it against the rest of the field honestly.
Then pick by pressure class. Soft-wash and routine maintenance: Hylio's 75 PSI rinse, or a low-pressure high-flow setup for soft wash. Per the manufacturer Mid-range facade work: ABZ at 2,900 PSI, Apellix at 4,000 PSI. Per the manufacturer Heavy buildup: AhatTek retrofit at 4,500 PSI. Per the manufacturer
Then pick by height and building type. High-rise facades: ABZ at 197 ft, Apellix at 195 ft (maker claims). Per the manufacturer Mid-rise maintenance: tethered ground-fed platforms within practical hose reach. Industry practice Solar fields: light rinsing on ag platforms like Hylio. Water towers and windows: retrofit platforms like AhatTek. Drone window cleaning platforms are a separate buying decision from facade platforms; treat them that way. One honest note: manufacturer height claims are maker claims, not regulatory permission. Part 107 caps you at 400 ft AGL with the structure provision.
Then price the whole system, not the drone. The DRONE band (30k to 65k) and the complete system band (64k to 105k) are on the equipment page. Ground-fed platforms require the operator's own pump, tank, and hose; that cost sits outside the drone price.
Drone cleaning rules, plain and short
Part 107 still applies when tethered. A tether does not create an exemption. The standard limit is 400 ft AGL, with the structure provision: within 400 ft of a structure, no more than 400 ft above its immediate uppermost limit. The 55 lb takeoff weight ceiling includes attached items; the cleaning hose is attached, and its exact treatment is for the FAA or aviation counsel to confirm, not this page to guess. If you see a 140 ft figure tied to tethered rules, know that is a publication's characterization, likely a practical hose-weight limit, not regulation. This is not legal advice.
Build cleaning drones? Get listed here.
This directory is where operators land when they are actively researching a cleaning drone purchase. They come for the honest comparison and they stay because every claim carries a label. If you build cleaning drones and your platform is not in the directory, request a listing: it puts your hardware in front of buyers at the exact moment they are deciding.
Every listing request is reviewed for accuracy before anything goes live. That review is the point: a listing here means your claims carry our evidence labels, which is exactly why operators trust the page. Listing terms are not published yet; request first and the terms get defined together.
What we could not verify
These are our own research gaps, current to this check. They are the point of the setup review.
- No independent field results exist for ANY platform. No independent cleaning performance, job economics, or failure data is published anywhere.
- US service and parts reality is the biggest gap. No maker publishes a US authorized service network. Confirm repair turnaround with the dealer before buying anything. This is a real differentiator for any dealer that can actually service what it sells.
- Aspira: no USD pricing, no named US service address.
- Desert Aerial: business entity unverified; no warranty terms; no published PSI.
- AhatTek: standard warranty terms, maintenance schedule, and parts catalog unpublished; price current to September 12, not re-verified September 13.
- Aquiline: current pricing unknown; CALTRANS claim unconfirmed.
- ABZ: US ground pump configuration unconfirmed; NDAA status unpublished.
- ZenaTech: pre-commercial, no pricing of any kind.
- No market sizes. No invented jobs or results. Any testimonial is company-published unless stated otherwise.