Graffiti-battling drones take flight in highway cleanup program

Washington State Department of Transportation’s (WSDOT) graffiti drone pilot program has taken off, literally.
The WSDOT maintenance crew in Tacoma is testing drone technology that can remove graffiti from hard-to-reach places. The drones could make quick work of painting over graffiti on tall retaining walls, bridges, and overpasses.
The drone, built from an Aquiline Endure model, uses a spray nozzle and is linked to a paint supply on the ground, WSDOT said.
For more on the lead story: komonews.com/news/local/graff...
#komo #komonews #komo4 #komo4news #seattle #seattlenews #washingtonnews #graffiti #wsdot #drone #technology

[@johnokamoto6762]

Graffiti should be fined AND they should do community service removing graffiti for 30 days. If it isn't punitive, there's no incentive to stop

[@christopherrothwell7958]

How's about you just enforce the law!

[@clint120]

The comment that says seriously? Graffiti is a big problem, damages, destroys, and values an entire neighborhood. It encourages additional graffiti and gangs. So yes, this is a great idea.

[@jonslg240]

I'm so glad that graffiti takes priority over bridge structural inspections & structural repairs! 😮

[@brandonfitzgerald8705]

@@jonslg240stop ruining the infrastructure and maybe the white man will build it again you leave all your little ape markings on it and why should we give you a new highway?

[@pastureexpectationsfarm6412]

We're not allowed to have an opinion that differs from the leftist-socialists.

[@arthurbrumagem3844]

Studies have shown that once this stuff is allowed to stay it just gets worse and indeed neighborhoods go down hill faster

[@patricktheobald8383]

It also shows when you're coming into a city or a town how save you might be and how the city reacts to Crime yes this is a very low-level crime I agree

[@patricktheobald8383]

How about just putting the criminals in jail. I drive a semi and all the safety signs throughout Seattle Tacoma all graffiti I don't know what they're saying, that's so dangerous turn on both sides are to keep us drivers safe

[@CosmicWatermeln]

Arresting people doesn't magically clean up the graffiti

[@beyondconfusion3458]

I have a question for you is anyone harmed in this. If not then give them a simple fine for the clean up service. I don’t condone jail time for this at all, tbh I think public art places should be a thing and more embraced. Property can be fixed, sending someone to jail over this is excessive and cruel and unusual punishment for the crime. But as I said I really don’t care go look at Brooklyn, New york, you’ll see it all over. As I said it’s is harming anyone no, then what’s the point.

[@meganwynn372]

​@@beyondconfusion3458in my state, artists have been asked to help, by being chosen to paint on things like those plain grey electrical boxes, and choice public walls. Its worked a treat!! And the art is amazing. If you go to las vegas, nevada, downtown container part parking, you will see alot of huge epic art!

[@patricktheobald8383]

@@beyondconfusion3458 signs are there for a reason we all don't live in the same place we all travel nobody's been harmed in this video. How do you know nobody's been harmed before you don't again you give a little bit they'll take everything set the nature people. We're not all good creatures

[@meganwynn372]

Well, they can also be pretagged, local artists can be asked to ' donate ' their time to paint a colorful mural that will cause a tagger to not be very interested in tagging- because the underlying art behind, it makes their tag too hard to see. Next, taggers will have to bring primer first- I dont see the point in this drone, to be perfectly honest.

[@rleewilson3556]

A special license such as part 107 is not required for a tethered drone. A tether aircraft always retains a direct connection to the surface of the Earth, therefore, does not fall within FAA regulations.

[@punchkitten874]

Reducing the amount of crew members needed to do a job is great. Naysayers are just jealous. I can see a crew a two (operator+flagger) doing some of these jobs out of a pickup a year from now, rather than four or more with a huge truck. Moreover, this looks like an amazing small-business idea 💡

[@joshwebb1493]

Waste money on drones before arresting the criminals

[@violette4841]

Why arrest criminals only to be released by the courts?

[@user-ni1ng6eh2i]

Love it.

[@rollinontwojohnny3586]

Hey Mike, what is the significance of your ponytail?

[@GNTRFI]

Im going to buy one and use it for graffiti lol

[@JirppaxGt]

ong bro

[@armandplaisancejr8937]

What about the lack of maintenance before this?

[@camartinwv]

Cool

[@micbroc6435]

For those saying just catch the graffiti offenders, get real. A lot of this is getting done at 2, 3, 4 o’clock in the morning. When the already spread thin WSP is out chasing drunks and such.

[@Pika-Chu64]

Why does it look like a flying gun 😂

[@wjksea]

It would be great to hear of a sealant or silicon based product that would extend the life of concrete and repel paint so it either easily sloughs off and/or makes for an unsuitable palette.

[@albeit1]

“Crews will spend the rest of the year dawdling.”

[@AhJodie]

Ask the people who did the graffiti how they got it up there! I think the people who did it should be hired to paint something cool that the city would like!

[@meganwynn372]

Tag those taggers!

[@jeffsummstl]

How about a drone that finds people spray painting graffiti and spray paints graffiti on them?

[@m9078jk3]

Soon the taggers will have their drones as well

[@allenross7267]

Anyone else getting Demolition Man vibes?

[@SarahBe123]

😂😂😂😂

[@tonipaslay2539]

Awesome great job

[@My-Pal-Hal]

Come On. Can't tell me only a Drone, can get to places homeless meth heads can get to. ... at least they put in the effort

[@theda850two]

Mr. Gauger's barber died some time ago, it appears.. 🙄

[@user-df1vc5eg6g]

I bet it will be full of runs and petertracks

[@Jleed989]

Now railroads need to embrace this technology to clean up all the rail cars

[@JirppaxGt]

NO NO NO those are such nice pieces or art they dare not touch them atleast like 99% are crazy looking pieces

[@brianmcneal2548]

They the data to run these machines from power was simulator

[@francescobaruffi999]

The only negative aspect of this story is that guys ponytail

[@constitutionalli7522]

That's funny, implying that government does anything productive or beneficial to us tax cattle. Ha! Good one

[@donbaker4441]

I got ask why would it take a year for permits and licenses to test.

[@dcoleman4444]

They just created new canvases.😊

[@thomasel9171]

Yknow i bet there would be less graffiti if the charges were more severe. Maybe a finger 🤔

[@animejanai4657]

Hackers should write programs to control drones. Then the drones can ADD graffitti to bridges and sides of buildings.

[@NWGTHappy]

HOLD DOT and the governor responsible for there bad spending habit! They spend millions of dollar and non of it is accounted for!

[@nope9966]

This is really to the worst of Seattles problems this is laughable gotta tackle the graffiti problem guess the use of substances n homelessness n real crime not a concern giant waste of money.

[@AmethystEmpressDivineTarot6589]

Seriously? Griffitti is literally the least of our problems. Spend the money on something that matters. Smh

[@KILLKING110]

Really look up Broken Windows Theory which has been proven to be true when you let stuff get tagged up and do nothing then others will start to do even worse things to the place.

[@bf1255]

You have no clue what you’re saying. Sign up to be a cop if you’re so hip on fixing these big problems you’re so aware of.

[@anson__carter]

Lazy as hell 😴

[@palatialslumlord4938]

More like "graffiti cleanup takes away crews from more important things like playing Angry Birds". No American city infrastructure cleanup or maintenance workers actually do their jobs lol

[@freshestPupusa]

Graffiti adds beauty to an otherwise empty and desolate area. It doesn’t always need to be destroyed.

[@julesjames593]

Tag your own wall. Don't tag public places. That is just painted litter. And UGLY

[@annbella9567]

@@julesjames593Totally agree, if their graffiti is so great , they would be hosting their own art shows!

[@annbella9567]

@@julesjames593Totally agree, if their graffiti is so great , they would be hosting their own art shows!

[@freshestPupusa]

@@julesjames593 Why not add some art to an otherwise brutalist bridge wall? If not for graffiti it would be gray and dull and drab.

[@JirppaxGt]

@@annbella9567 rather have a painted wall with your tag on it that looks good than a bland gray wall it just adds color to the empty city too