HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — A Tumon hotel has welcomed the use of drones to clean and maintain the appearance of the facility.
In a press release issued earlier this week, The Westin Resort Guam announced its collaboration with Bella Wings Aviation, which has begun “employing drones to clean buildings, windows and roofs using biodegradable solutions and a low-pressure water system.”
The process, coined “AeroBlasting,” was showcased starting Wednesday morning and, by Thursday, a stark contrast in the color of the building could be seen as one side was cleaned, and the other wasn’t.
Bella Wings CEO Charlie Hermosa explained to The Guam Daily Post that although the work was halted for technical and weather reasons, the progress made happened in a little more than an hour of work on the Tumon high-rise.
Hermosa explained that, overall, AeroBlasting can reduce work time from 30% to 40% and it is safer.
“Technically, we can do this in one day. Traditionally, you would have to use a rappelling system. … Safety-wise, you can see the difference when it comes to the safety aspect,” Hermosa said.
As far as the cost, Hermosa said he thought it would be more cost-effective.
“I think it all depends on the job, but technically, it is more cost-effective because we’re using a drone versus having more people on the side of the building, so on average we do see significant savings by people,” Hermosa explained.
Considering Westin is the first hotel to utilize AeroBlasting, general manager Nick Song said he was “thrilled” to be a part of the innovative technology.
“We are excited to partner up with Bella Wings Aviation to bring AeroBlasting to Guam. This innovative and eco-friendly technology offers an efficient and safe way to maintain the exterior of our building. We are thrilled to be the first hotel on island to harness the potential of this cutting-edge technology,” Song said in the press release.
Hermosa, who recognized other hotels in the area may be interested in the technology to improve beautification efforts, said the company can be reached at info@bellawingsaviation.com.
“We’re looking for more opportunities and then, at the same time, as the opportunities grow, we want to be able to bring on more folks that want to work in the industry, training as a pilot. Get them certified and then get them into the system,” Hermosa said.
Bella Wings Aviation’s “Lucid” drone is employed for an “AeroBlasting” demonstration in partnership with The Westin Resort Guam and JLG HydroBlast Guam at the Tumon hotel on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023.
