MND tests drones to wash high-rise ledges in Punggol

Sun Xueling says drones are being tested to wash high-rise ledges, residents given notice for privacy concerns

Senior Minister of State Sun Xueling has announced that the Ministry of National Development (MND) is trialling drones to clean high-rise ledges.

In a Facebook post on Saturday (11 Oct), she said that the trial took place at Blk 271D, presumably in Punggol Walk.

Source: Sun Xueling on Facebook

According to her post, residents were notified on Monday (6 Oct) to minimise any potential privacy issues during the operation and given warnings to close their windows or draw their curtains if needed.

Drones to offer safer alterantives to traditional ledge cleaning

Traditional ledge-cleaning methods rely on gondolas and rope-access workers, which carry significant risks in case of accidents.

Source: @answer.joyce on TikTok

In contrast, drones allow workers to remain safely on the ground while reaching awkward façades more efficiently.

Already, authorities are looking out for use cases of drone technology, Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reported.

Ms Sun wrote on her Facebook post that since joining the MND in June 2025, she has been exploring technology to reduce worker risk from activities such as high-rise ledge washing.

“This morning, we are testing out using drones to wash high-rise ledges. This involves various steps involving use of water pressure and dissolvents,” she wrote.

Source: Sun Xueling on Facebook

Privacy remains an issue

Industry providers in Singapore already offer drone façade and window-cleaning services, citing faster completion, lower disruption, and improved safety.

Safety specialists say drones can reduce common risks from scaffolds and gondola failures.

The technology also allows targeted cleaning and is more cost-effective.

However, the technology is still new in everyday estate maintenance and needs careful oversight, especially when it comes to potential privacy infringement.

As Ms Sun wrote in her post, she would “look at the results of the cleaning, resident feedback and also cost of deploying such technology before proceeding further”.

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