How much does drone building cleaning cost in Thailand?
Every quote we give is based on a site survey, so this page does not publish a price list. It explains what makes the price go up or down, how a drone quote compares with the alternatives, and what to send us to get a reliable figure quickly.
Short answer: drone cleaning is priced per square metre, and the rate depends on six things: the surface to clean, the height, the access for the ground unit, the level of dirt, the material (glass, cladding, stone, tiles, solar modules) and the permits required for the site. On large glass or roof surfaces the drone is usually cheaper than rope access or scaffolding because it works at 500 to 800 m² per hour with a crew of two or three on the ground. On small or very detailed façades, a water-fed pole or rope access is often the better deal, and we say so.
The six factors that set the price
1. Surface area
The larger the surface, the lower the rate per m². Set-up (van, water production, perimeter, flight checks) takes the same time for 300 m² and for 3,000 m². Above a few thousand m², a multi-day job with the same set-up brings the rate down further.
2. Height and geometry
A tethered drone does not care much about height up to the length of its tether; a 25 m façade and a 60 m façade cost about the same per m². Geometry matters more: a flat curtain wall is faster than a façade with deep balconies, louvres or canopies that the jet has to work around.
3. Ground access
The ground unit and the van need a position within tether reach of the façade, and a closed perimeter under the flight area. A building with a car park or a lawn along its façades is simple. A tower with a busy sidewalk on all sides needs night work and traffic management, which adds cost.
4. Level of dirt
A façade cleaned every year needs one pass of purified water. A façade left for five years in Bangkok traffic, or a shaded wall covered in algae, needs a treatment pass and a rinse pass. We check this during the survey, not on the day.
5. Material
Glass is the fastest: heated purified water, low pressure, no detergent. Aluminium cladding and painted steel are close. Stone and concrete may need a specific product and a slower pass. Roofs and solar modules follow their own protocol. Each material has its own rate.
6. Permits and insurance
In Thailand, a professional drone operation needs NBTC and CAAT registration, third-party insurance of at least 1,000,000 THB and, in urban areas or near people, a specific flight permission. CleanAlta carries these costs in its structure; a one-off job in a sensitive location (near an airport, a government building or a hospital) may require an additional permit, and that is priced separately.
Drone versus the alternatives
| Method | Cost structure | Where it wins on price |
|---|---|---|
| Tethered drone | Crew of 2–3 on the ground, 500–800 m²/h, no scaffolding, no anchors | Large glass, cladding, roofs and solar arrays; sites that cannot close |
| Rope access | Certified technicians paid per day, slow on large surfaces, roof anchors needed | Small, complex or very detailed façades |
| Gondola (BMU) | Low marginal cost if the building has one; blind spots on podiums and canopies | Towers that already own a working BMU |
| Scaffolding | Rental per week plus assembly; blocks access for weeks | When repair work is done at the same time |
| Water-fed pole | One operator, no permit, up to about 17 m | Everything below five floors |
A figure from France gives an order of magnitude: at Paris Saint-Lazare station, RATP reports that the drone divided the intervention time by five compared with its usual method. Time is the main cost in cleaning, so the price followed. See the RATP case study.
How to get a reliable estimate
Send us, through the contact page: a few photos of each façade, the address, the approximate height and number of floors, the materials, and the last time the building was cleaned. We answer with a first opinion on the right method, then a site survey before any price. Pilot sites in Thailand get a tailored offer in exchange for letting us document the job.
Questions about cost
Is drone cleaning cheaper than a gondola?
If the building already has a working gondola that reaches every façade, the gondola is hard to beat on marginal cost. The drone wins where the gondola is missing, slow, or blind to podiums, canopies and glass roofs.
Is there a minimum job size?
In practice, a drone job is worth it from a few hundred square metres of surface. Below that, a water-fed pole is usually cheaper.
Do you charge for the site survey?
For buildings in Bangkok and the main regions, the survey is part of the quotation process. We say so in advance if travel costs apply.
Does the price include water and products?
Yes. The van produces purified water on site, and any treatment product is included in the quote.
Investors, property groups and corporates
We present the Thai launch plan and the figures in a direct meeting, under NDA. Building owners can also apply for a documented pilot job.