As arenas, stadiums, and concert venues prepare to reopen once again following the coronavirus pandemic, the Syracuse startup EagleHawk has developed a drone that can quickly kill the coronavirus.
While EagleHawk usually specializes in drones that use thermal cameras to detect roof leaks for government, college, medical, and retail buildings, the company took a different approach when the coronavirus pandemic hit the U.S. in March. CEO Patrick Walsh told Syracuse.com that the team “took a step back and said, ‘How can we help be part of the solution going forward with COVID-19?”
Now, the company decided to remove the thermal cameras from its drones and replace it with a device that sprays disinfectant. The disinfectant is stored in a tank on the ground which is then pumped to the drone through an attached hose. Then, a second drone flies through the air, near the disinfecting drone, and holds the hose up to prevent it from getting caught on other objects like seats. The system can be used within any outdoor or indoor facility.
Already, the disinfectant system has been tested at Buffalo’s KeyBank Center, the Sahlen Field in Buffalo, and the Oncenter War Memorial Arena in Syracuse. Walsh explained that the drones are much more efficient than having employees walk around and spray thousands of seats, noting that “now people won’t be directly exposed,” as “the drone will do the job.”
Workers on-site are also more susceptible to contract the virus, which is why the drone would come in handy. We’ve seen dozens of workers at the Raiders’ Allegiant Stadium and Los Angeles’ So-Fi Stadium test positive for coronavirus, as both are under construction. Despite the rising number of cases at both stadiums, they will remain under construction and are set to open on time.
