OPTIMIZATION

What the APELLIX Spray-Painting Drone Does

The APELLIX SPD is a software-assisted robotic UAV that uses an airless spray system to coat elevated structures while keeping workers safely on the ground. Think of it as an automated hand that holds the paint spray gun.

  • Autonomously maintains proper distance, spray angle, and speed to deliver consistent paint film on elevated vertical structures.
  • Applies water-based, solvent-based, and epoxy coatings.
  • Safely operates with electric or pneumatic pumps and has been tested up to 8,100 psi.
  • Delivers up to 1.5 gallons per minute on vertical or near-vertical surfaces.

Why This Matters

Elevated work is expensive, risky, and increasingly difficult to staff. The SPD directly addresses these challenges.

  • Elevated work remains a leading cause of worker injuries and fatalities.
  • An estimated 60–70% of many project costs are related to providing elevated access (scaffolding, lifts, ropes, etc.).
  • Work at height is significantly less productive than work at ground level.
  • Recruiting and retaining skilled painters for elevated projects has become more difficult.

The APELLIX Idea

The APELLIX core strategy is to provide a safe and very cost-effective tool for addressing elevated structures throughout their lifecycle. It is our mission to clean, prep, coat, and test for structural integrity and to meet aesthetic requirements.

APELLIX currently offers a power wash UAV for cleaning and basic surface preparation and a SPD for coating and sealing. APELLIX already developed the capability to perform semi-autonomous dry-film thickness testing (DFT paint thickness) and ultrasonic wall thickness testing (UT). The near-term missing
element is to provide limited surface blasting to remove paint and corrosion to allow for comprehensive spot repair of metal structures.

All of the APELLIX UAVs operate in the FAA category of under 55-pound aircraft, allowing reduced regulation and ease of use.

APELLIX Spray-Painting Drone General Features

  1. Coating performance is 2,000–3,000 square feet per hour (185–280 m²) in typical elevated environments, assuming 6 mils wet on vertical surfaces; performance is expected to improve with additional automation.
  2. Compatible with any high-pressure airless system (for example, an 80:1 pump at 8,000 psi) using a ¼” ID hose.
  3. Supports architectural coatings, epoxies, and high-solids industrial coatings (e.g., 90% solids).
  4. Target coating thickness per pass is controlled by:
    • Distance to surface (effective fan size).
    • Travel speed.
    • Tip size (most critical factor).
  5. Operation requires a pilot in charge (supervisor) with an FAA Part 107 license.
  6. The system has been extensively tested with painters who had no prior UAV experience, and APELLIX regularly demonstrates non-pilot operation at its Jacksonville, Florida facility.

APELLIX Background

APELLIX is a robotics company focused on UAV-based solutions for industrial, commercial, and defense customers. Founded in 2014, the company is based in Jacksonville, Florida.

APELLIX solutions can be understood across five areas:

  1. Automation
    • Since 2022, APELLIX has worked with the U.S. Army on an autonomous decontamination system that allows battlefield equipment to be decontaminated without exposing warfighters, using a fully autonomous UAV.
    • This dual-use autonomy technology is being migrated into the APELLIX civilian applications, including power washing and spray painting.
    • APELLIX continues to integrate AI into flight control and project automation, with improvements regularly delivered through software updates for the B-2, Blue, and SPD platforms.
  2. Power Wash
    • Apellix began with the B-1, a manually operated power-wash UAV delivering highly stable, fully capable pressure washing (8 gpm, 3,500 psi), now in use in over 20 countries.
    • The B-1 has evolved into the B-2, a semi-autonomous cleaning tool, with ongoing enhancements in automation, diagnostics, safety, and training features available to all users.
    • As a modification of the B-2, the Blue provides the same functionality as the B-2 but as a fully NDAA-compliant UAV that can be used in federal as well as certain state and local government properties where UAV security laws and regulations are in effect.
  3. Spray-Painting
    • The SPD was launched in Q4 2025 after extensive testing with multiple paint and equipment manufacturers and the US Army.
    • The SPD reflects over a decade of coatings R&D and is designed to deliver:
      • Measurable, consistent coating thickness.
      • Strong adhesion to the substrate.
      • Proper coalescence of the coating on the structure.
    • The current SPD is a “simple” painting robot by design, with a clear roadmap for adding advanced functionality.
  4. Non-Destructive Testing
    • In 2018, APELLIX developed the first NDT UAV, providing (as a service) autonomous UT wall thickness and DFT measurements for select industrial customers, primarily in oil and gas.
    • This solution has been approved by some customers for use in Class I, Division 2 hazardous locations and includes:
      • UAV-mounted gas monitors.
      • Full digital twin data capture and recordkeeping.
    • APELLIX plans to release the NDT UAV as a product in 2027.
  5. Blasting and Other Functionality
    • APELLIX is prototyping light-duty blasting technology to enable spot corrosion repair, with a blasting attachment targeted for release in Q4 2026.
    • The blasting feature is planned as an attachment to the SPD and will use computer-assisted/AI targeting.
    • The ground power system, in use internally since 2021, is being refined for broader deployment, with a higher-powered version for the SPD planned for release in Q2 2026.