Drone Cleaning Services

The City of Austin is issuing a Request for Information (RFI) regarding drone-based exterior cleaning services for Austin Water facilities, with responses due September 2, 2026. This is an information-gathering vehicle to inform future scope development; the City is not soliciting proposals to perform work and responses will not form any contractual commitment.

The RFI seeks industry input on proposed scope, operational requirements, environmental and safety considerations, schedule and service availability, pricing structures, and contractor qualifications for drone cleaning of tanks, reservoirs, silos, or similar vertical infrastructure at public utility structures. Respondents must demonstrate a minimum of three completed projects within the past five years involving drone-based exterior cleaning of such vertical infrastructure.

The City prefers environmentally responsible cleaning agents, specifically Citra Shield or approved equivalents, and requires submission of Safety Data Sheets for all cleaning chemicals prior to use. Service delivery is specified for Tuesday through Thursday between 7:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. at 11110 El Salido Parkway, Austin, Texas 78750, with contractors required to provide forty-eight hours' notice before on-site activities.

Respondents must provide detailed pricing information including unit pricing (per square foot, per structure, or per drone flight), hourly labor rates, pricing based on structure height and material type, cost differences between drone-based and manual cleaning, mobilization and demobilization costs, equipment rental fees, environmental compliance and waste disposal fees, and airspace authorization or permitting fees. Interested parties can request notification if the City issues a future competitive solicitation by providing company name, point of contact, email address, and telephone number to ryan.braziel@austintexas.gov.