About Us

About DronePower1

DronePower1 is a veteran-owned solar panel cleaning company founded by Paul Lyman, an FAA Part 107-licensed remote pilot with more than 30 years of military and commercial aviation experience.

Veteran-Owned

Drone cleaning with a safety-first mindset.

DronePower1 uses commercial cleaning drones to maintain residential, commercial, and utility-scale solar panels. The equipment is designed for controlled aerial spraying, allowing the crew to clean an array without walking on the roof or placing tools on the panel glass.

DronePower1 was founded by Paul Lyman, an FAA Part 107-licensed Remote Pilot with more than 30 years of military and commercial aviation experience. As a veteran F-15E fighter Aviator and commercial airline captain, Paul brings a the disciplined checklists, planning, and calm decision-making of professional aviation to each job, from the pre-flight inspection to the final review with the customer.

We use deionized water with a biodegradable, water-based solar cleaning formula. It contains no solvents, ammonia, chlorine, or bleach and is made for common panel glass, frames, coatings, and seals. The solution loosens dust, pollen, and organic residue before a deionized-water rinse, which helps the glass dry without mineral spots. Product and property conditions are reviewed as part of the job plan.

The Part 107 certificate is the Federal Aviation Administration's commercial drone pilot credential, the same authorization required for any commercial aerial work in U.S. airspace. It governs flight operations, airspace authorization, and the safety procedures the crew runs on every visit.

We serve the Palm Springs area and greater Coachella Valley, San Diego's North County, Temecula, the I-15 corridor, and Orange County through Huntington Beach. Customers receive clear pricing and an explanation of the process before work begins.

FAA seal FAA Part 107 Licensed Remote Pilot · Paul Lyman, founder
U.S. Air Force 30+ years aviation Veteran F-15E fighter Aviator · JetBlue airline captain
Certified clean Independently certified formula · Biodegradable & sewer-safe · Safe for birds, wildlife & landscaping

Leadership

Meet our team.

The person who signs off on every flight plan, hires every pilot, and answers the phone when a customer needs something made right.

Paul Lyman, founder of DronePower1

Paul Lyman

Founder · CEO & President

Paul founded DronePower1 to bring drone technology to the rapidly expanding green energy industry. An FAA Part 107-licensed Remote Pilot, veteran F-15E fighter Aviator, and commercial airline captain, he brings the discipline of aviation safety to every job site, from pre-flight checks to controlled spray lanes to verified handoff.

  • FAA FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot
  • U.S. Air Force Veteran F-15E Fighter Aviator · U.S. Air Force
  • Commercial Airline Captain · JetBlue Airways
  • 30+ years military & commercial aviation
Connect on LinkedIn

David Woods

Chief Operating Officer

David Woods oversees DronePower1's daily operations. He has more than a decade of professional drone experience and founded a drone photography company in 2016 after a career in real estate and business operations. David has also supported power utilities with storm response, asset inspections, vegetation management, transmission and distribution assessments, substation inspections, and aerial data collection. That field experience informs how the company plans crews, equipment, and service for energy and infrastructure customers.

Our Why

Practical drone services for solar energy.

DronePower1 applies professional aviation practices to solar panel cleaning and inspection. Our purpose is simple: use the right equipment to reduce work at height, limit disruption, and make routine solar maintenance easier to schedule.

Drones are useful when they solve a specific access or safety problem. For solar properties, they allow a trained crew to work from the ground while cleaning large or difficult-to-reach arrays. We pair that equipment with deionized water, careful flight planning, and clear documentation so customers understand what was done and what, if anything, may need attention next.

Core Values

Five values, on every flight.

  1. 01
    Safety

    The foundation of everything we do. Pre-flight inspections, controlled spray lanes, and FAA Part 107 procedures on every job, so pilots, crew, and customers stay safely on the ground.

  2. 02
    Agility

    We plan carefully and adapt to the property, weather, and customer schedule. Efficient setup matters, but it never takes priority over a safe and complete job.

  3. 03
    Service

    We provide clear answers, straightforward pricing, and dependable follow-through from the first call through the completed service.

  4. 04
    Innovation

    We improve our equipment and procedures when doing so makes the work safer, more consistent, or easier for the customer.

  5. 05
    Excellence

    We aim to do careful work at a fair price. Growth matters only when the company can maintain its service, training, and safety standards.

Operations

Aviation discipline. Applied to every job.

Paul's 30-plus years flying F-15Es for the U.S. Air Force and serving as a JetBlue captain shaped the company's approach to preparation and judgment. Those habits inform crew training, operating procedures, and each job plan.

DronePower1's FAA-licensed commercial drone crew prepping equipment on a Coachella Valley job site, headsets on and high-visibility vests marked FAA Licensed Commercial Drone Pilot
On site in the Coachella Valley, headsets on, spotters set, and an FAA-licensed commercial drone pilot leading the flight before a single rotor spins.

Team Standards

Prepared crews and consistent procedures.

DronePower1 crew members complete background qualification and training before working in the field. Employees follow standard operating procedures based on the checklist-driven approach Paul used throughout his military and commercial aviation career.

The goal is a crew that arrives prepared, communicates clearly, and follows the same operating standards from one property to the next.

As featured on The Droning Company · home for drone pilots nationwide

“DronePower1 is young and growing, but it's rooted in solving a real-world problem: keeping solar energy systems operating at peak performance through smart cleaning, no climbing on rooftops, no risking your safety, no unintentionally damaging panels.”
Timothy Brazzel, who spent four months on the crew, writing in The Droning Company

Featured video · The Droning Company

Watch Timothy Brazzel's story about working with DronePower1, or read the original article on The Droning Company .

Get a Quote

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Tell us about your property and we'll send a no-obligation quote. On commercial work, show us your last bill and we'll beat it by 10%.

No obligation. Send your details and a real person gets back to you, typically the same business day.

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