Facade treatment by drone for Presqu'île Habitat in Cherbourg: a technical challenge at the heart of the Cotentin  

Project presentation 

Diverse interventions on individual houses and collective buildings  

As part of its maintenance and preservation programme for real estate heritage, Presqu'île Habitat entrusted FlyRenov with its multi-annual contract for facade treatment and moss removal of roofs in the Cherbourg-en-Cotentin area. Carried out using spraying drones, these projects aimed to ensure the durability, safety, and aesthetics of the buildings, whether they involved individual houses or large groups of collective buildings. The project mobilised specialised teams and innovative technical resources, allowing effective interventions, including on tall structures and in sometimes extreme weather conditions. 

Flexibility and coordination of teams 

Proactive team management 

To take into account the significant variability of the weather on the tip of the Cotentin peninsula, teams were assigned to different sites every Friday for the following week. This advance preparation allowed us to:  

• Contact residents and schedule an appointment for the work to ensure the intervention. 

• Quickly train newcomers on the specific procedures related to drone interventions. 

 The essential role of co-pilots on the ground  

On site, co-pilots actively assist the drone operators, particularly by: 

•  Ensuring the dilution of the product and the continuous refuelling of the tank, essential for uninterrupted spraying. 

• Securing the marked area, preventing any intrusion that could jeopardise the safety of operations. 

• Monitoring the cable connecting the drone, to avoid any risk of snagging on trees or ground obstacles.  

Their role is fundamental: they become the eyes and ears of the drone operators within the safety perimeter, while the operators remain focused on flying navigation.  

Drone expertise: Jérémy and Malo at the controls 

The flying and spraying operations were entrusted to two experienced drone operators, Jérémy and Malo. Their expertise enabled the successful completion of demanding missions, particularly on tall buildings and in areas highly exposed to the wind.  

Feedback: an exceptional mission Treatment of a 12-storey building 

 One of the most notable interventions was the facade treatment of a 12-storey building, nearly 30 to 35 meters high, covering an area of over 5,000m². This site was a real challenge:  

• Gusts of wind reaching up to 50 km/h, making the drone stabilisation tricky. 

• Changing weather conditions, typical of the Cotentin, requiring constant vigilance.  

Thanks to their skills, Jérémy and Malo were able to adapt their methods to ensure high-quality and safe work.  

Field anecdote: four seasons in one day 

Jérémy shares a remarkable experience: 

 "A co-pilot had warned me that in Cherbourg, you could experience four seasons in one day. One morning, I started under a great blue sky. By late morning, the wind picked up, the sky turned dark, and the temperature dropped sharply. Within minutes, rain, hail, and even a bit of melting snow hit us... before the sun came back as if nothing had happened!" 

 This anecdote perfectly illustrates the adaptability required to pilot drones in such unpredictable weather environments. 

Conclusion 

The projects carried out for Presqu'île Habitat in Cherbourg testify to our ability to mobilise expert teams, deploy our drone technology under all conditions, and respond quickly to unforeseen events. Thanks to the professionalism of our drone operators Jérémy and Malo, as well as the effective coordination with residents, we successfully completed ambitious missions in a demanding context, while ensuring safety and quality of service.