Clean // Solar maintenance
Commercial solar panel cleaning by drone
Drone Group cleans commercial solar arrays across Auckland and New Zealand with tethered specialist UAVs and deionised water, lifting dust, pollen, lichen and bird fouling without roof access or walking the array. Soiling blocks sunlight, so a clean array captures more of it, restoring lost generation and protecting the asset across its service life.
No roof access. No one walking the array.
A controlled deionised-water wash from above.
25% off your solar panel clean
Share the site address and what you know about the array. We’ll check access and scope, then send a fixed-price proposal with 25% off our standard cleaning price.
- Deionised-water panel wash
- Spot-free rinse finish
- No roof access, no array walking
- Dust, pollen and bird fouling removal
For commercial rooftop and ground-mount arrays. Offer applies to quote requests received by 30 November 2026; final scope, price and availability are confirmed in your written quote. No obligation to proceed.
What could clean panels save your site?
Enter your array details and power price, then tap when the panels were last cleaned, how dirty they look and what your site deals with. We'll estimate the soiling loss and what a clean could win back each year. No obligation and no site visit required.
Your array
When was it last cleaned?
How much soiling is on the glass?
What else affects your site?
Estimated soiling loss
15.6%
The share of the array's annual generation currently lost to soiling. 5.6 points above the 4–10% range typical for NZ commercial arrays.
Your savings estimate
Fill in your array and soiling details, then press Calculate to see what a clean could recover each year.
Why clean by drone
The same clean, without putting anyone on the roof
A drone clean takes the access problem out of the job: no height work, no scaffolding, and nothing touching your array or roofing.
Nobody works at height
No one climbs onto the roof, so the working-at-height risk comes off the job entirely.
No access costs
No scaffolding, boom lift, harness system or edge protection to hire and erect. The drone is the access equipment.
No roof traffic, no roof damage
Nothing is walked on, leaned on or dragged across the roof or the panels, so there's no cracked glass, torn membrane or bent frame risk.
Faster turnaround
A commercial array that would keep a crew on site for days is cleaned in a fraction of the time, usually in a single visit.
No disruption to operations
No shutdowns and no contractors moving through the building. Your site keeps running while we clean.
Covers what people can't reach
Low-tilt, ground-mount and hard-to-access arrays get a full, even clean without special rigging or long hose runs.
Easier to sign off
With no height work, there's no working-at-height plan to approve. Your facilities team signs off a short, site-specific RAMS and SSSP, prepared by us before takeoff.
At a glance
What this service is
- Access method
- Tethered specialist UAVs, no roof access
- Cleaning medium
- Deionised water, spot-free finish
- Best for
- Commercial rooftop and ground-mount arrays
- Certification
- CAA Part 102 Unmanned Aircraft Operator Certificate
- Safety
- No array walking, no working at height, SSSP and RAMS on every job
- Coverage
- Auckland base, expanding across New Zealand
No roof access
A controlled deionised-water wash from above, across the whole array.
The commercial case
Soiling is a quiet cost on every commercial array
Soiling losses vary with location, tilt and what is landing on the glass, so no two sites behave the same. What is consistent is the direction: an array left unwashed between seasons is generating less than it could.
Recovered generation
Dust, pollen, bird fouling and salt film shade the cells beneath them. Removing the build-up lets more light reach the array again, so it works closer to the output it was designed for.
Surveyed while we wash
Pair the clean with 4K and thermal imaging to spot hot spots, dead cells and connection faults. The array is already accessible, so the inspection costs you no extra mobilisation.
Imaging & condition dataProtecting the asset
Airborne pollutants and coastal salt leave acidic deposits on the glass. Regular deionised cleaning keeps the anti-reflective coating clear and the array's service life intact.
Compliance & safety
Built for sites that need paperwork, not just a wash
Commercial and industrial portfolios need an operator whose certifications, insurances and method statements stand up to scrutiny before anyone arrives on site.
CAA Part 102 certified
Drone Group holds a Part 102 Unmanned Aircraft Operator Certificate, covering commercial flight operations over and around built assets in Auckland.
RAMS and SSSP on every site
A site-specific risk assessment and method statement is prepared before takeoff, alongside a safe system of work plan agreed with your facilities team.
Deionised water only
The wash is pure deionised water at low pressure, with no detergents, no abrasive contact and no mineral residue left on the glass to dry into spotting.
Airspace and height planned
Every deployment is planned around controlled airspace, height limits and site-specific hazards such as overhead lines, plant and rooftop equipment.
Drone Solar Panel Cleaning covers
Everything included in the service.
Questions
Frequently asked
Where we work
Serving Auckland's commercial and industrial hubs
Our Auckland-based flight crew mobilises across the region's business and industrial precincts.
Highbrook & East Tāmaki
Industrial and distribution rooftops
Penrose & Mt Wellington
Warehousing, yards and large ground-mount arrays
Wiri & Manukau
Logistics parks and manufacturing plants
Albany & North Shore
Business parks and commercial campuses
Auckland CBD & city fringe
Commercial towers and mixed-use assets
Free FM tools
More free tools for facilities managers
Alongside the solar savings calculator, these help you plan and price exterior maintenance.
Ready to stop losing generation to soiling?
Send us your site and array details, and we'll come back with a fixed-price proposal and a site assessment.