Two cleaning drones are taking different approaches to commercial building work

Commercial cleaning drones are becoming more specialized, but comparing them requires looking beyond the headline pressure rating.

Flight time, working height, aircraft weight, window capability and the way cleaning systems are controlled can all affect how a drone performs on an actual building. The right comparison therefore depends on the type of property and the cleaning work being performed.

The Apellix B2 and Lucid Sherpa represent two prominent approaches. Their published specifications show meaningful differences in several areas, while each system also has capabilities that may be relevant for particular jobs.

For example, Lucid’s published documentation gives the Sherpa a maximum pressure of 4,500 PSI, while SkyPSI’s current comparison lists the B2 at 4,000 PSI at the ground pump. At the same time, the B2 has a published maximum flight time of 32 minutes compared with 19 minutes for the Sherpa.

Apellix B2 vs Lucid Sherpa

The Apellix B2 publishes a maximum working height of 195 feet, compared with 150 feet for the Lucid Sherpa. SkyPSI’s current comparison also lists the B2’s battery equipped wash configuration at approximately 30 pounds, versus 37.2 pounds for the comparable Sherpa configuration.

The two systems also approach window cleaning differently. SkyPSI lists window cleaning as a standard B2 application, while Lucid offers a separate window cleaning payload for the Sherpa. Lucid’s documentation describes an onboard tank and variable ratio mixer for that payload.

Automation is another distinction. SkyPSI says the B2’s AirTrace system allows a pilot to trace an area and have the aircraft automatically clean the selected grid while maintaining active pilot supervision. Lucid’s Sherpa documentation supports automated takeoff, hold and landing, but SkyPSI’s comparison notes that its manual excludes automated mission modes during cleaning operations.

These specifications do not establish that one drone is universally suitable for every cleaning project. Pressure requirements, surface materials, hose configuration, access conditions and local operating restrictions can all change the calculation.

For commercial operators, the more useful comparison is therefore the complete operating system rather than a single specification. The B2’s longer published flight time and greater working height may matter on some large façades, while the Sherpa’s higher pressure ceiling or optional window payload may be relevant for other applications.