🤖 AI, AI, Oh! — The Power of AI and Drone Technology

AI amplifies drone data in ways that were unimaginable even a few years ago. Here’s how:

✅ Automated Damage Detection

AI flags hail, wind, and moisture intrusion.
Categorizes damage types objectively.
Enables faster, more accurate scoping.
Sources: FlyGuys, Loveland Innovations

✅ Seamless Integration with Adjusting Platforms

AI-driven image data integrates directly into Xactimate or carrier portals via API.
Sources: FlyGuys, Loveland

✅ Fraud Mitigation

Time-stamped, geo-located imagery helps distinguish new vs. pre-existing damage.
Sources: NTT Data, FlyGuys

AI-powered drones put the industry’s most thorough, efficient, and foolproof technologies at the adjuster’s fingertips.

✈️ Get Ready: Technical Requirements, Disclaimers & Pitfalls

🚁 FAA Requirements for Drone Use in Claims Adjusting

Certification: Part 107 License Is Mandatory
- Any commercial drone use (including roof inspections) requires a Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate from the FAA.
- To get certified, adjusters must:
  - Be at least 16 years old.
  - Pass a 60-question multiple-choice aeronautical knowledge exam.
  - Register the drone with the FAA.
  - Renew certification every 24 months via online recurrent training.
💡 “Flying without a license—even for a quick claim shot—can result in fines over $1,000 per flight.”
— Matt Gardner, Certified FAA Part 107 Instructor
Visual Line-of-Sight (VLOS) Rules
- You (or a designated visual observer) must maintain unaided visual contact with the drone at all times.
- Flying out of view—even briefly—requires a special waiver.
Altitude & Airspace Restrictions
- Maximum altitude: 400 feet above ground level.
- Avoid restricted airspace (near airports, military bases, etc.) unless you’ve received FAA authorization via LAANC.
- No flying over people, vehicles, or emergency scenes without a waiver.
Payload Rules
- No package delivery or unauthorized payloads (e.g., hazardous materials).
- Ensure your camera/sensor setup doesn’t exceed drone weight limits.
- Thermal or multi-spectral imaging may require state-specific compliance.

🛑 Privacy Pitfalls and Best Practices

Navigating privacy laws is just as critical as following FAA guidelines.

1. Always Get Homeowner Consent

Even when representing a carrier, get clear, verbal or written permission before drone use.
Be transparent about:
- What you’ll be capturing.
- Why it’s necessary.
- How long footage will be stored and who can access it.

2. Avoid Capturing Neighboring Properties

Don’t let your drone’s view stray into adjacent yards, rooftops, or windows.
This can violate neighbors’ reasonable expectation of privacy and lead to legal action.

“It’s not the flight that gets you sued—it’s the footage.”
— Property Insurance Coverage Law Blog

3. Data Management and Sharing

All drone footage must be:
- Encrypted both in transit and at rest.
- Stored in secure, access-controlled claims systems.
Never share footage on social media or with outside vendors unless explicitly authorized.

🔮 The Future is Yours—If You Want It

“It’s important to note that drones are not meant to be a replacement for human adjusters. Human knowledge and judgment are still required. Drones just help them work in a safer, more efficient manner.”
— ShelterInsurance.com

The danger isn’t that the adjuster will be replaced by a drone. It’s that the adjuster without a drone will be replaced by the one who’s fully equipped and FAA-certified.

To stay viable in this industry, you’ll need:

✔️ Flexibility

The inflexible adjuster, unwilling to learn new tools and techniques, will be left behind.

✔️ Adaptability

View change not as confrontation—but as opportunity.

✔️ Teachability

There is no greater trait in this field than a teachable spirit.

🎓 Adjust U Features Industry-Best Drone Prep

“The drones are coming! The drones are coming!”
Just think of me as the Paul Revere of 21st-century claims adjusting.

Now, for your call to arms:

You are an adjuster without a drone. What do you do now?

Research & Network
Learn what type of drone fits your needs and train with a qualified expert.
Sign Up for Adjust U’s FAA 107 Licensing Class
These classes are designed specifically for property claims professionals.
Get Your License—Then Go Forth and Conquer!