Procurement standard | Reviewed August 2026

Five questions before a drone-cleaning bid makes the list.

A qualified bid identifies the contractor, named remote pilot, aircraft and registration, operating authority, proof that applicable coverage extends to the proposed UAS operation and cleaning scope, site plan, chemistry and runoff plan, quality standard, fallback method, documentation, and correction path. A Part 107 certificate or a demo reel proves only one piece.

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Apellix cleaning drone flying near a multistory building

Bid qualification

Require the whole operating package.

Verify the operator, aircraft, and authority.

Ask for the named remote pilot, current certificate, aircraft registration, operating weight, airspace plan, and any authorization or waiver the mission requires. Part 107 covers many small commercial UAS operations under 55 pounds. Controlled airspace and operations over people or moving vehicles require mission-specific compliance and may require authorization, waiver, operating-category controls, or an exclusion plan. If the aircraft dispenses a substance, confirm whether the substance and intended use trigger Part 137; not every dispensed substance does. The bidder should document the authority for the actual site and mission, not hand procurement a generic certificate.

Verify the commercial package.

Require the actual contracting entity, proof that applicable policies and endorsements cover the proposed UAS operation and cleaning scope, subcontractor roles, equipment, crew, weather limits, emergency plan, privacy rules, tenant notice, and named correction path. Exact limits belong to the property and contract.

Decide whether aerial cleaning fits.

Large continuous exteriors, recurring maintenance, and sites where access equipment is difficult can favor an aerial pass. Active plazas require workable pedestrian and vehicle controls and may be unsuitable during occupied periods. Recessed glass, edges, interiors, fragile systems, bonded minerals, construction debris, inspection, and restoration can require a hybrid or hands-on method. Require a test area and manufacturer-compatible process when surface or coating risk is uncertain.

Make every bid price the same result.

Give bidders the address, elevations, surfaces, current condition, desired finish, current method, cadence, water access, operating hours, tenant constraints, traffic, airport proximity, runoff requirements, and closeout standard. Make each bidder separate routine maintenance from restoration and price the fallback method for areas the drone cannot complete.

Write acceptance before launch.

Define the test section, water or chemistry, visual standard, inspection points, documentation, excluded defects, touch-up, weather delay, and correction process before work starts. The winning method is the one that delivers the required clean for this property, not the most dramatic aircraft.

Primary rules

Verify the actual site and mission.

FAA Part 107 rules →FAA airspace authorizations →FAA dispensing guidance →National Glass Association procedure →

SkyPSI compares aerial, conventional, and hybrid methods against one property outcome, then carries the selected scope from assessment through closeout.

High-rise window cleaning →Compare access methods →

Price the result. Document the plan.

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