Robert Dahlstrom

Making Money with Power Wash Drones

Robert Dahlstrom, Founder and CEO, Apellix

Power wash drones are enabling exterior-cleaning businesses that are both capital efficient and extremely profitable. With all-in startup costs typically in the 50–75 thousand dollar range for a complete drone cleaning system, operators are regularly building six- and seven‑figure annual service revenue by replacing scaffolding, lifts, and large ground crews with a single drone team.  This presentation dissects how those economics work in practice: high daily production rates, premium pricing justified by safety and reduced disruption, and margins that often exceed traditional pressure-washing or rope-access operations. We will walk through real-world pricing models, utilization targets, and breakeven timelines, then show how to stack repeat contracts, vertical expansion, and multi-drone fleets to turn a single system into a high-ROI, growth-ready business. Attendees will leave with a concrete playbook for designing and evaluating extremely profitable power wash drone ventures.

Robert Dahlstrom is the founder and CEO of Apellix, a Jacksonville-based company that builds autonomous power wash drones for industrial and commercial assets worldwide. By turning dangerous, slow exterior cleaning into a high‑throughput, tech‑enabled service, he has helped multiple operators build million‑dollar‑plus annual businesses with power wash drones.  Drawing on decades in industrial services and autonomous systems, Robert designs “physical AI” tools that let small teams do the work of large crews—safely, consistently, and at premium day rates. Apellix platforms have been deployed by the U.S. Army and used on critical infrastructure, while also powering local contractors who now clear seven figures a year washing buildings and tanks with drones instead of scaffolding.