Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia has become the first sports venue to utilize drones to clean and sanitize the stadium. The disinfecting drones not only help cover the large area, but also in a much quicker time and less labor-intensive process.
The stadium, which officially opened on August 26, 2017, is home to the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons, with a capacity of 71,000 and the MLS Atlanta United, with a capacity of 42,000. Two drones are used to clean the stadium, and the team will have a third as a backup.
Check out new drone technology providing innovative sanitization protocol at #MBStadium
Learn more ➡️ https://t.co/lxc9VCrK3o pic.twitter.com/ZY9grVE4V0
— MercedesBenzStadium (@MBStadium) October 1, 2020
“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, 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.”
The technology will be used for post-event disinfecting of the seating bowl, handrails, and glass partitions at the stadium.
The drones utilize electrostatic spraying nozzles for even distribution of medical-grade disinfecting chemicals including an inhibitor that prevents harmful bacteria and virus to adhere to surfaces without leaving a residue. In addition, their unique, wrap-around effect helps distribute the disinfectant to hard-to-reach areas.
The drones allow for a 95 percent reduction in time spent cleaning the seating bowl and the ability to redeploy associates in other areas of the stadium and fourteen times more efficiency than regular backpack foggers.
By Jon Sorensen
