The use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS or "drones") by individuals and industry continues to grow.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) drone sales are expected to grow from 2.5 million units in 2016 to 7 million in 2020. PWC Global has calculated that the overall emerging global market for business services using unmanned aircraft is over $127 billion. The impact on the insurance industry is expected to be $6.8 billion.

Insurance companies, quick to recognize this potential impact, have taken their first tentative steps toward drone implementation. 

Efficiency of performing inspections

This initial enthusiasm is understandable. A 2014 J.D. Power study found that the length of time spent in each stage of processing a homeowner's claim (cycle time) was the single most important metric that drove customers to stay with their existing carrier or seek a new one. Drone use has the potential to reduce the time to inspect a loss and allow more inspections per day after a major event. This directly impacts the speed with which customers are able to receive settlements.