When I think of drones, I think of one of two things. Either a super-secret stealthy drone used by the military or my neighbor's drone that he bought and got it stuck in a tree 10 minutes after launching it. This drone is not like either of those.

New York's Eaglehawk has developed a unique way of fighting the coronavirus pandemic. They are attacking the virus from the skies with specially modified drones.

Normally Eaglehawk, based in the Buffalo, uses their drones to inspect building roofs for leaks using a thermal camera. As the drone flies around they can look for hotspots where warm air is leaking through the roof of a structure and direct maintenance to fix the leak.

Once the coronavirus pandemic hit Eaglehawk, like many companies, they started looking for a way to help using their unique business help in the fight against the virus. What they came up with is pretty brilliant. Using their specially modified drones they can fly around stadiums, arenas, concert halls, and just about anywhere else that would need disinfecting on a large scale.

The company tested its disinfecting system at KeyBank Center in Buffalo (home of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres), Sahlen Field in Buffalo (home of the Buffalo Bisons minor league baseball team) and the Oncenter War Memorial Arena in Syracuse (home of the Syracuse Crunch minor league hockey team). www.nyup.com

Each drone is modified with a nozzle that can spray disinfectant from a tank on the ground as the operator flies around a facility disinfecting the seats and public areas. There is a second drone that helps support the disinfectant hose and keep it from getting tangled or snagged on anything.

This system seems much faster and more economical than having employees walk around spraying every seat in a stadium. According to Eaglehawk, they can disinfect large arenas and stadiums in a fraction of the time someone on foot could.

Here's a video of Eaglehawk testing their disinfecting drone at Sahlen Field in Buffalo.

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