The Atlanta Falcons will be the first professional sports venue to implement drone technology to clean the stadium when they do so starting on October 11th after their game against the Carolina Panthers, according to ESPN’s Vaughn McClure.
Officials at the Falcons home stadium, the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, say that no other stadium has yet to use such technology. Two drones will be used to clean the stadium, with a third drone present as a backup.
According to the report, Mercedes-Benz Stadium has partnered with Charlotte-based Lucid Drone Technologies for D1 disinfecting drones to sanitize areas, and the drones use electrostatic spraying nozzles for even distribution of medical-grade disinfecting chemicals including an inhibitor that prevents bacteria and virus from adhering to surfaces without leaving a residue.
The non-toxic Hypochlorous Acid solution used is in compliance with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), according to the company.
“The process of welcoming fans back involves actively listening and responding to their concerns and we understand that proper cleaning and sanitization protocols are top of mind in the current environment,” Dietmar Exler, COO, AMB Sports and Entertainment said, per the report. “We have worked tirelessly to provide a safe environment for not only our associates, players and staff, but especially our fans.”
“This stadium is incredibly large, and as we begin to slowly welcome fans back, these drones allow us to maximize the time between games and private events to thoroughly sanitize,” said Jackie Poulakos, manager of building operations. “We are always challenged by leadership to continually innovate and this new technology is the ideal solution to effectively disinfect and sanitize our stadium in an efficient manner.”
