November 14, 2025
Professor Weisong Wen interviewed by UBeat on “Drone-Based Curtain Wall Cleaning” technology and prospects
Drones for glass curtain wall cleaning: all parties gearing up.
UBeat recently ran the feature “Drones for glass curtain wall cleaning: all parties gearing up.” In the interview, TAS Lab lead and Assistant Professor Weisong Wen outlined the technology roadmap, regulatory compliance, and application outlook for drone-based curtain wall cleaning, showcasing the team’s progress in autonomous localization, control, and operational safety.
Prof.Wen receiving the interview.
Industry pain points and opportunities
- Technical challenges: Perception and localization on highly reflective glass; disturbance-rejection control for close-proximity flight; compensation for water-jet reaction forces; enclosure waterproofing and payload reliability.
- Safety and compliance: Advanced operations permissions, exclusion zones and contingency planning, geo-fencing and wind-field assessment—prioritizing “safety first, standards-led.”
- Application value: Reduced high-altitude work risk, improved efficiency, and strong potential for energy savings and carbon reduction.
- Progress and plans: A staged demonstration path—building mapping → localization and pathing → on-site cleaning—while co-developing standard procedures with property managers and regulators.
PolyU JCIT Tower.