Not science fiction: Drone that removes graffiti has arrived | Sullivan [Video]

I’m not sure why, but the “Flight of the Valkyries” plays in my head as I dream of sky full of graffiti drones descending Interstate 5 (I-5) with their nozzles locked and loaded.

Maybe I’ve seen “Apocalypse Now” too many times, but that is my vision for this Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) pilot program designed to combat graffiti, especially on bridges and overpasses.

And why not? WSDOT spent $815,000 on graffiti removal in 2023. Workers spent more than 10,000 hours painting over 700,000 square feet of graffiti last year.

The government agency noted in its online story its crews report seeing new graffiti appear “sometimes days or even hours after an area is cleaned.”

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More on the drone that removes graffiti

The machine, built from an AquilineEndure model, uses a spray nozzle and is linked to a paint supply on the ground. As the agency explains, an operator can position the drone anywhere the tethered hose …