The evolution of drones began more than 100 years ago. At first, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) were developed for military use. In fact, one of the first recorded uses of drones involved the Austrians, who sent 200 unmanned bomb-filled balloons to Venice in 1849. The idea of aerial surveillance bloomed in the Spanish-American War of 1898 when the U.S. military tied a camera to a kite. The development of aerial photography continued well into both World Wars, and drones played a crucial role in the surveillance of Cold War battlegrounds in Southeast Asia and Cuba. Since then, drones have become increasingly important tools for resolving international conflicts, among other applications.
In the 2010s, drones gained widespread popularity among hobbyists, who found more creative uses for them. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) poses that sales of recreational drones will grow from 2.5 million in 2016 to 7 million in 2020. Today, the government, military, corporations, and individuals adopt drones for photography and videography, emergency response, surveillance, search and rescue efforts, package deliveries, agriculture, and national security. The insurance industry is just one of the latest to find innovative ways to put drones to work.
Drones are incredibly useful for completing tasks that put people in danger. These devices do not require runways or pilots, can travel to unsafe locations rather quickly and can record footage of hazardous terrain. They can also transport materials — drones can deliver almost anything, from Amazon packages to medicine.
The fact that drones can keep people out of harm’s way helps insurance companies reduce their operating costs. Insurers are increasingly integrating drones by using them to complete inspections and tackle insurance fraud. Insurance companies also use the data drones capture in conjunction with AI to assess the damage and calculate repair costs, which helps them achieve more accurate settlements.
Some of the top benefits drones bestow on insurance companies include:
Insurance companies may be swayed against using drones due to a few disadvantages, which are:
As the use of drones grows among insurance providers, the possible disadvantages may mitigate, and more insurers may be inclined to use drone data to process your personal injury claim.
Generally, drones may influence insurance claims in the following areas:
An insurance company that employs drones saves money by flying drones to accident scenes instead of sending adjusters. The information they obtain from drones could help insurance adjusters determine liability and confirm that an injury occurred. Insurance companies could also rely on drones to fight insurance fraud. Drones can be deployed to monitor those who file personal injury claims; however, this may be considered an invasion of privacy.
If you’ve recently been injured in a car crash in Orlando, the chances are high that the insurance company responsible for paying your claim has not adopted the use of drones. However, this doesn’t mean they will take your word for what you have suffered. If you’ve sustained a severe injury that has the potential to disrupt your finances, talk to a competent personal injury lawyer about your claim.
The personal injury lawyers with The Umansky Law Firm have more than 100 years of combined experience pursuing claims for survivors of personal injury accidents. Severe injuries can incur tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills and lost wages. If your injuries limit your physical and cognitive abilities permanently, you could also lose your job and opportunities for employment. You could be forced to take a lower-paying position or withdraw from the workforce, which can lead to a reduced quality of life for years to come.
Don’t settle for just any claim. Trust our team of attorneys to recover the compensation you’re entitled to by law. Our firm has been recognized as part of the Florida Legal Elite by Florida Trends and has an average 5-star rating. Contact us for a free consultation or call our office at any time of day to speak with a lawyer.
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