Charlotte, N.C. – October 01, 2026 -- Lucid Bots has unveiled the Sherpa HighLine, a motorized rooftop pulley system that enabled its Sherpa drone to clean exterior surfaces at 280 feet above ground level, a height the company says marks the tallest drone-cleaning operation recorded in the United States.
Drone cleans 23-story Colorado casino tower at 8,000-foot elevation
The late-September operation took place at Monarch Casino Resort Spa in Black Hawk, Colorado, on the property's 23-story hotel tower. The work was completed in partnership with BlackJet Drone Solutions, MG Cleaning Systems and Oklahoma Drone Technologies. Black Hawk sits roughly 8,000 feet above sea level, where lower-density air makes generating lift more demanding for aircraft.
Rooftop pulley shifts hose weight off the aircraft
Mounted to existing rooftop equipment, the Sherpa HighLine transfers part of the suspended cleaning hose's load to the rooftop support rather than the drone itself. Lucid Bots said the system does not make the drone lighter but reduces the hose weight it must carry, allowing it to operate at greater heights without relying solely on increased lifting capacity.
Robert Blank, Vice President of Research and Development at Lucid Bots, said reaching higher has traditionally required trade-offs such as shaving weight off the drone or using smaller hoses that restrict flow. He said supporting the hose from the rooftop allows the company to pursue greater working heights while also enabling larger-diameter hoses that deliver more flow.
Operator says HighLine made the 23-story project possible
Parker Eakins, owner of Oklahoma Drone Technologies, said the building's roof and launch points ruled out a roof-down flight, requiring the crew to clean from the ground up. He said the HighLine supported the hose as the drone climbed, enabling it to reach the full 280-foot height, and that the project could not have been completed on time without the system.
Lucid Bots targets limited release in Q4 2026, full production in early 2027
Andrew Ashur, Founder and CEO of Lucid Bots, called the Monarch Casino project "a milestone, not a ceiling,