CENTI assesses Chemitek’s Drone Range formulations, finding no visible degradation in representative drone materials under defined laboratory conditions.
Professional drone cleaning is expanding rapidly across the solar, industrial, glass and infrastructure sectors, enabling safer and more efficient access to difficult-to-reach surfaces. As these operations become increasingly specialised, operators are placing greater emphasis not only on cleaning performance, but also on the compatibility of cleaning products with the materials used in professional drone equipment.
To provide independently generated data on this subject, Chemitek commissioned an extensive laboratory testing programme to evaluate the material compatibility of its Drone Range portfolio with representative drone components commonly used in professional operations.
The tests were carried out by CENTI – Centre for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, using controlled laboratory procedures to evaluate the interaction between diluted product formulations and three representative drone materials: carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (epoxy), electrical cables (XT60 M–XT60 F) and carbon fibre drone propellers. Under the defined test conditions, each material was fully immersed in the diluted formulations for six hours at 23 ± 2 °C, followed by visual inspection, digital microscopy and comparative analysis before and after exposure.
The testing protocol examined potential signs of material degradation, including corrosion, cracking, softening, delamination, warping, staining, discolouration and other visible surface changes. It also included standardised sample preparation, pre- and post-exposure mass measurements, electrical cable resistance measurements, controlled photographic documentation and digital microscopy to ensure consistent evaluation across all tested formulations.
Across every formulation evaluated, the laboratory reached the same conclusion.
Key figures: three representative drone materials tested; six hours of full immersion at 23 ± 2 °C; zero visible changes observed.
No visible changes were observed in the carbon fibre-reinforced plastic, electrical cable or drone propeller specimens after exposure to the diluted products under the defined laboratory conditions.
The testing programme covered Chemitek formulations developed for a broad range of drone cleaning applications, including photovoltaic systems, agrivoltaic installations, glass façades, industrial surfaces, wind turbines, hydrophobic coating application, stain removal and rinse neutralisation. All products were evaluated using the same laboratory methodology, providing a consistent basis for comparison across the portfolio.
The results relate specifically to the materials tested, the defined exposure period, product dilutions and laboratory conditions established for the testing programme. They provide independently generated technical data that complements field experience and product performance evaluations when considering material compatibility in professional drone cleaning operations.
“The objective of the assessment was to evaluate the interaction between representative drone materials and diluted product formulations under controlled laboratory conditions. The testing programme was designed to identify visible signs of material degradation following the defined exposure protocol, providing a consistent basis for comparing the behaviour of the tested
materials after exposure.”
— Senior Researcher, CENTI – Centre for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials “Professional drone operators invest significantly in their equipment, so questions about chemical compatibility are entirely legitimate. Rather than relying on assumptions, we wanted independent laboratory data. These assessments provide objective technical information that
complements field experience and helps customers make more informed decisions when selecting products for drone-based cleaning operations.”
— César Martins, CEO & Founder, Chemitek Independent laboratory testing does not replace operational experience in the field, but it provides an additional level of technical evidence that supports product evaluation in controlled settings. By making
these results publicly available, Chemitek aims to contribute to greater transparency and confidence in the growing drone cleaning sector.
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