Solar Panel Cleaning Robot
Solar Panel Cleaning Robots represent the top rung of solar panel cleaning systems hierarchy in terms of technology, efficiency, and ease of operation. While Solar Panel Cleaning Robots come at higher price points, the return on investment they offer is simply unmatched, whether you are dealing with large scale solar systems or you are a solar panel cleaning service provider, catering to the needs of your clients.
In this blog, we will be looking at the best solar panel cleaning robots available in 2025. We will also be looking at the various pros and cons associated with investing in solar panel cleaning .
If you want to know about other types of solar panel cleaning systems, apart from solar robots, check out the article below:
Solar Panel Cleaning System Explained
What is a Solar Panel Cleaning Robot?
A true robotics engineering marvel, solar panel cleaning robots represent one of the most practical and functionally sound application of robotics in present times. A well-engineered, automated device intended for the effective and efficient cleaning of solar panels, solar panel cleaning robots are fitted with technologies and mechanisms that includes dust and debris removal, wash and dry features and panel health data analyzers, among others.
Best Solar Panel Cleaning Robot (2025)
1. hyCLEANER SolarROBOT
The hyCLEANER specializes in cleaning ground-mounted and roof-top installations. Its integrated automated driving function comes with lane-keeping and speed control features and it can even clean well on transverse slopes. This German-made robot is a solid catch and bears a testament to the high- quality German engineering legacy that has stood the test of time.
Check out more of its features here:
2. Solar Cleano
Solar Cleano offers an all-in-one solar panel cleaning solution. Solar Cleano F1 is one of the many products offered by this company. It is the fastest robot in the market having a speed of up to 1,600 m2/hr. This robot can clean the panels using both dry and wet cleaning methods. A gap up to 70cm can be easily crossed by it. It has specialized pads that enable it to clean at a 25-degree angle with water. This robot is designed to clean every type of panel installation.
The robot can be connected to a standard garden hose of 13-15mm in diameter and can handle 2.0 to 8.0 bar of water pressure. Its valves can regulate water consumption systems for dry cleaning methods. This robot has certified NO microcracks after an electroluminescent test. It is equipped with a central electric switching box. The bot is powered by lithium-ion batteries, allowing it to function autonomously for 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Its helicoidal brush of 1.1m, 1.2m, and 2.2m with 2 bristle types undertake both wet and dry-cleaning operations. It puts a pressure of 4200 Pascals on the Panels while cleaning operation.
The fully modular robot can be dismounted into 4 parts easily for transportation. This makes the model highly mobile for it to be easily carried and operated single-handedly. The entire assembly and disassembly of the robot can be completed in a short span of 3 minutes.
The company offers a list of compatible and interchangeable solar panel cleaning accessories to save time and enhance the efficiency of the cleaning process. All the accessories offered can be mounted on the bot without having to modify the central unit.
- Solar Robot Transport-T1 allows the robot to move from one-panel row to another easily and quickly without any human intervention.
- Floating wheels allow the cleaning process to become more fluid. Since the wheels are attached to the cleaning robot, they are a necessity for cleaning floating panel installations.
- Camera and Screen increase the operation safety. It also allows you to pilot from the ground, if vision is obstructed.
- Robot’s battery charger: if you have many batteries, make sure to have enough chargers as well.
- Battery for the bot: Investing in an extra battery allows the bot to be used for a long
Other than this, the company also provides a Spare Part Kit to avoid downtime by replacing parts of the cleaning robot whenever required, thus making the robot maintenance fast and simple. The kit contains 1 brush motor, 1 traction motor, 1 timing belt Courroie Brosse, 2 Caterpillar tracks, 2 bearings with support, 2 bearings for rear wheels, 2 water hoses, and more.
The toolkit offered by the company has tools like screwdrivers, combination wrenches, pliers, and more.
The Osmosis System to purify the water used by the robot for cleaning is available for purchase as well. The water used for cleaning panels should have low mineral content to avoid any formation of stains or scaling that can potentially reduce the amount of sunlight penetrating the panels.
LED light can be used to operate the panel cleaning robot at night. It lights up the surroundings for ease of examination of the cleaning process.
Check the video on Solar Cleano M1 Robot:
3. GEKKO Solar Hightec Robot- Serbot:
Suited especially for roof-tops and solar farms, the highly efficient GEKKO Solar by Serbot is highly efficient (almost 4 times than usual) and can easily clean areas of the panels that are difficult to access. GEKKO solar lives true to its name – it sticks to the most inaccessible parts of the panels like the lizard and does a thorough cleaning job once it gets there. This Swiss brand is second to none in terms of quality and reliability. Don’t Believe? See for yourself:
4. Solar Drones
Solar Drones company is changing the future of solar panel cleaning technology. Since 2020, this company has aimed to develop this state-of-the-art technology to save water which is required for cleaning the panels. Solar drones can clean panels of any shape, in any topography without any mechanical or human intervention. This technology is suitable for multipurpose Agri voltaic, covering a range of 80 km2. It makes use of night vision as well- thus reducing the need for human labor and increasing the return on investment.
Solar Drone is a pioneer and a world leader in developing “Drone in a Box” systems. It utilizes advanced technologies such as image generation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, data mining, real-time analysis, and alerts, along with cloud and more. This increases the operational cost and the asset efficiency.
The drone can replace its battery, refill the water/ ECO-FOAM tank, and replace payloads within the “Box” that acts as a docking station with the help of a robotic arm.
The cleaning features of the robot include– compliance with any type of topography, and the ability to clean all types of panels, including bi-facial panels. It can operate in a completely autonomous mode. It is suitable for Commercial, Industrial, Residential, and construction site panel installations.It can operate during the day and night while saving water. The robot does not need to have physical contact with the panel to clean them.
It carries out a thorough inspection of the panel for prediction and prevention of maintenance. Carries thermal inspection and detects any defects in the panels. It checks for hotspots and microcracks in the modules that can affect the performance of the panels. Besides this, it keeps an eye out for any disconnections to the panels and checks for warranty compliance. The drone also monitors the ancillary equipment.
The Solar Drone can monitor AI-based Data mining for data analysis. Its monitoring system provides real-time notifications and alerts to homeowners. This technology is compatible with any industry-standard APIs.
In terms of security and safety, this drone-in-box provides perimeter and compound protection and promptly informs about any changes in the perimeter or solar fires. In addition to this, it provides on-demand and emergency response.
Such a system is the most advanced of its kind in the world. It is currently operating in Israel and some other countries.
Check this video about solar drones by Airbotics:
5. SUN-X Sunbiotics
It is a 4-in-1 cleaning system with individual extensions-i.e., different-sized robots manage different levels of inclination. The Sunbiotics series is known for the motorized quick coupling system and intelligent carrier arms.
Learn more:
6. SCM S1 Model by Solar Cleaning Machinery
It is a fully automatic programmable robot with a double brush system and displays both dry and wet cleaning capacities, as well as capable of jumping up to 50 cm., while cleaning the panels.
Check out their video:
Solar Cleaning Robots | Pros & Cons
There exist a good number of pros and cons associated with the usage of solar panel cleaning robots, these have been discussed below:
Pros of Solar Panel Cleaning Robots
- Efficiency: A robot could clean large solar arrays without compromising efficiency. Periodic cleaning of panels in an orderly fashion and without human intervention decreases the time and labor associated with the regular maintenance of the panels.
- Optimized cleaning: The bot is designed to clean the panels. It ensures that the maximum sunlight falls on the surface of the panel for its absorption, therefore increasing its energy production.
- Safety: The built-in safety features ensure that the robots are cleaning the panels without destroying them. This also minimizes the chances of accidents like electrocution or threats to the staff involved.
- Remote control and monitoring: Since these bots are controllable, the cleaning schedules can be changed as per your needs.
- Life span: Since it is possible to clean the panels more frequently by using bots, it adds up to the life span of the panels. Bots prevent any extended damage caused due to the deposition of dust and dirt.
Disadvantages of Solar Panel Cleaning Robots
- Expensive: The high level of initial investment required for the purchase and installation of a solar panel cleaning robot is pretty high. This directly affects the initial cost of maintenance of the panels.
- Dependency on Technology: In case any of the robots malfunction or there are any technical faults in it, it can disrupt the entire cleaning schedule. There may be an urgent requirement for technical support to get back to work.
- Poor Adaptability: Few robots would not adapt to cleaning all layouts of solar panels. A fine example is the panels installed at great angles or irregular angles, which makes it very hard for the bots to reach them.
Features of Solar Cleaning Robots
- Automated cleaning: The robot is programmed to automatically move along the surface of the panel and perform the cleaning operations.
- Navigator System: The cleaning automated robot is fitted with sensors, cameras, and other navigation technologies that help detect the edge of the panels and move accurately without harming the panels.
- Dust Cleaning Mechanism: A robot can clean the panels using various tools such as brushes, wipers, squeegees, or a jet of water to sweep away the dust and dirt off the surface of the panels.
- Self-Powered or External Power Source: The robots can either be solar-powered, battery-powered, or driven by some external power source.
- Remote Monitoring and Control: State-of-the-art automated cleaning technology can be remotely monitored and controlled. This helps us schedule cleaning cycles and gives us an idea about the performance of bots.
- Efficiency-cum-Water Conservation: Advanced designs of robots efficiently clean the panels while saving water. It can clean the panels with a minimum amount of water and can also recycle the water during the process of cleaning.
- Safety Features: Safety features are incorporated into the bots to avoid any damage to the panels
- Weather Resistance: Most cleaning robots designed are meant to bear adverse weather conditions without losing operational efficiency.
Final Thoughts
A solar panel cleaning robot, is an automated device designed explicitly to clean solar panels quickly and efficiently. Such robots are fitted with technologies and mechanisms needed in the process of cleaning like dust and debris removal that have accumulated on the surface of the panels. Common features of the robot include automated cleaning mechanisms, wet and dry cleaning, navigation systems, control and monitoring systems, and self-power sources, among others.
The advantages associated with investing in a solar panel cleaning robot include– cleaning the panels by a robot efficiently following safety measures, hence increasing the life of the panel. On the other hand, they have disadvantages like a high upfront cost and limited adaptability. Apart from that, any problem in the model can affect the cleaning of the panel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Solar Panel cleaning robots are usually equipped with monitoring systems that can detect dust and dirt accumulation. Further, the robot cleans the panels automatically while providing real-time data to the homeowners. The robot can make use of several cleaning methods like dry and wet cleaning. It makes sure every inch of the panel is cleaned by moving across the panels in a systematic pattern while ensuring no damage is done to the panels.
Drones are implemented to clean the solar panels by Solar Drones company. During the process of cleaning, there is no physical contact between the drone and the panel. This ensures the safety of the panel along with monitoring the process of cleaning.
The fundamental constituents of a solar panel cleaning robot are a Robotic Chassis, DC motors, Wheels, Rubber tracks, a pump motor, and a water tank.
Solar Panel Cleaning robots are a great way to keep panel arrays in working order easily and cost-effectively. A robot minimizes manual labor, hence giving assurance of safety for both the panels and people from electrical hazards. A robot allows the cleaning of the panels at any time and in any weather.
