AIG Receives FAA Approval For Drone Use

American International Group Inc. said Wednesday that it has received Federal Aviation Administration approval to use drones to conduct inspections in the U.S.

AIG said using unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, can help speed up surveys of disaster areas and lead to faster handling of claims, risk assessment and payments. Drones also can provide access to areas that are dangerous or otherwise inaccessible, AIG said.

"Leveraging cutting edge technologies like UAVs can enhance our ability to assess and mitigate risks to better help our customers and their communities prepare for and rebuild after a catastrophic event," Eric Martinez, executive vice president of AIG's claims and operations division, said in a news release.

The company said it already has established a research and development program and conducted flights in New Zealand.

AIG isn't the first insurer to tinker with the technology.

In December, Allstate Corp. said that it would study whether aerial drones can help insurers process claims in the field. At the time, Allstate said it would work with a consortium to lobby for regulatory approval for using drones in the insurance and construction businesses, as well as for refining data collection on assessments of property damage and conditions.

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