LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A Pittsburgh-based company is taking over Louisville with the way it washes buildings. 


What You Need To Know

  • Drones are power washing the KFC Yum! Center 

  • Pittsburgh-based Aeras Fog is giving the building a much-needed clean with its technology 

  • Its co-founder, Justin Melanson, has built and designed drones for more than 15 years

  • Melanson was previously in Louisville to help sanitize Churchill Downs 

Over the course of several days, Aeras Fog has used a large drone to power wash the KFC Yum! Center. Justin Melanson, the company's co-founder and drone operator, has patented a method of using a tethered drone to blast water at 5,000 pounds per square inch. 

“I’m an inventor, so I’ve been building drones for over 15 years,” Melanson said. 

Members of Aeras Fog power wash the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville with drones. (Spectrum News 1/Jonathon Gregg)

During that time, Melanson has perfected flying drones and said he has assisted law enforcement agencies in conducting search and rescue operations. He developed a drone-based sanitizing system during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and has been to Louisville before, not to power wash windows but to sanitize Churchill Downs.

"We were able to help them open for the first year after (COVID-19)," Melanson said. "We were able to go through with gigantic autonomous drones and sanitize the entire Churchill Downs." 

Melanson said in terms of safety, using a drone is safer than cleaning by hand, and onboard radar prevents the flying water cannon from colliding with buildings. 

“Even if you wanted to, that would be impossible,” Melanson said.

Learn more about Aeras Fog by visiting its website