Lucid Drones started working with Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium (MBS) is#nbsp;the first professional sports venue to#nbsp;sanitize its arena using drones.
MBS, which is#nbsp;home to#nbsp;the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United FC, partnered with Charlotte-based company Lucid Drone Technologies to#nbsp;use its D1 disinfecting drones to#nbsp;sanitize key areas in#nbsp;the arena, according to#nbsp;a#nbsp;news release.
The technology has been tested as#nbsp;part of#nbsp;the sanitization process as#nbsp;the arena welcomes fans back for the Falcons' upcoming home game against the Carolina Panthers on#nbsp;October 11.
The team has not yet announced how many fans will be#nbsp;allowed in#nbsp;for the game --only that fans would be#nbsp;allowed in#nbsp;a#nbsp;limited capacity. The Falcons hosted 500 friends and family members on#nbsp;September 27 for the team’s home game against the Chicago Bears, but have not allowed ticketed spectators in#nbsp;for its first two home games of#nbsp;the season.
The drones are being used to#nbsp;disinfect the seating bowl, handrails and glass partitions in#nbsp;the stadium after events. The use of#nbsp;the drones have allowed stadium workers to#nbsp;be#nbsp;redeployed in#nbsp;other areas of#nbsp;the stadium, and allow for a#nbsp;95% reduction in#nbsp;time spent cleaning the seating bowl, the release said.
"This stadium is#nbsp;incredibly large and as#nbsp;we#nbsp;begin to#nbsp;slowly welcome fans back, these drones allow us#nbsp;to#nbsp;maximize the time between games and private events to#nbsp;thoroughly sanitize," said Jackie Poulakos, Manager, building operations.
"We are always challenged by#nbsp;leadership to#nbsp;continually innovate and this new technology is#nbsp;the ideal solution to#nbsp;effectively disinfect and sanitize our stadium in#nbsp;an#nbsp;efficient manner."
The Panthers are also using robot technology to#nbsp;help clean its facilities. The team has partnered with Xenex, which manufactures a#nbsp;robot that uses pulsating UV-rays, to#nbsp;combat viruses and bacteria.
The Panthers will welcome back a#nbsp;limited number of#nbsp;fans this Sunday for their home game against the Arizona Cardinals. Approximately 5,200 fans will be#nbsp;permitted into Bank of#nbsp;American stadium in#nbsp;Charlotte.
CNN’s David Close contributed to#nbsp;this report.