Tuesday, October 6th, 2026 — Drone inspections are becoming a more established part of property claims as carriers and adjusting firms look for ways to handle more losses with fewer inspections, re-inspections and other manual touches.
Henry Maley, senior vice president of sales at Mid-America Catastrophe Services, said improved image quality and greater acceptance among homeowners and regulators have changed how the technology is used. Earlier drone systems often produced imagery that was difficult to rely on for detailed roof evaluations, while privacy, security and regulatory concerns created additional resistance. Maley said much of that skepticism has eased over the past 18 months.
The shift comes as claims organizations contend with a tightening labor market. Sedgwick estimates nearly one-quarter of claims adjusters could retire by the end of 2027. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment for claims adjusters, appraisers, examiners and investigators will decline 6% between 2025 and 2035, although roughly 21,600 openings are still expected each year.
Catastrophe activity is adding to the workload. The United States recorded 23 weather disasters exceeding $1 billion in losses during 2025, according to Sedgwick, while severe convective storms produced more than $50 billion in insured losses for a third consecutive year. Roof claims from hail and wind events are particularly suited to aerial inspection because drones can collect exterior imagery without requiring an adjuster to climb onto the structure.
For claims departments, the appeal is less about replacing adjusters than reducing the work required to build a complete file. A drone inspection can provide roof imagery while limiting ladder use and potentially allowing adjusters to handle more inspections during periods of heavy claim volume.
Maley also said regulators have become more comfortable with drone inspections, although no specific state regulatory actions were cited. The number of qualified operators has increased as well. The Federal Aviation Administration reported 481,760 certificated remote pilots as of November 2025.
Drone adoption is occurring alongside broader efforts to automate lower-complexity claims. Sedgwick reported that as many as 82% of carriers use artificial intelligence somewhere in their operations, although only 7% have achieved scalable success. Crawford & Company has also forecast greater use of straight-through processing for simpler claims.
The practical role for drones remains straightforward: collect better property information with fewer physical touches while keeping an adjuster responsible for evaluating the claim and making decisions that require professional judgment.
