Greg Ryan Law and Money Reporter Boston Business Journal
Michael Nagle
A drone in action. Liberty Mutual has not disclosed which manufacturer's drones it plans using for site inspections
Liberty Mutual Insurance will soon use drones to photograph houses and businesses damaged by fires or natural disasters for some claims, in place of manned planes or adjusters on ladders.
The Federal Aviation Administration last month granted the Boston-based insurance giant permission to use four types of drones of varying sizes, as long as they ascend no more than 400 feet off the ground and travel no more than 100 miles per hour, among other conditions. The drones are relatively small and can't weigh more than 55 pounds.
Liberty Mutual plans to begin using the drones later this year “on a limited basis,” according to spokesman Glenn Greenberg. The drones will at least initially be used to inspect sites damaged in hurricanes and other large-scale natural disasters, to help adjusters assess a wide swath over damage in a relatively short amount of time.
The drones will keep Liberty Mutual claims adjusters and contractors safer, the insurer said, since they won’t have to take the risks of piloting a plane or falling off a ladder during a roof inspection. “It’s very easy for us to get excited by a technology that helps our claims professionals more safely help our customers after a loss,” Greenberg said. The technology will also provide the insurer with higher-quality photos.
Other insurance companies like AIG and State Farm have also recently received FAA approval to use drones.
Liberty Mutual had petitioned the FAA for permission to operate drones without a licensed private pilot or a second person to visually monitor the drone’s flight, known in FAA parlance as a visual observer, but instead a trained operator. However, the agency is requiring Liberty Mutual to have both a visual observer and a pilot with a commercial, private or other flying certificate.
Greenberg did not disclose how many drones Liberty Mutual has purchased, the companies that make the drones, or how much it's spending on the drone program.
Drone-makers in Massachusetts include the consumer drone made by Danvers-based CyPhy Works has surpassed its $250,000 Kickstarter goal within five days of the crowdfunding campaign launching.