DRONES INSURANCE-PART-I
Drones are the Future of Technology, so as Drones insurance is the requirement of the hour.
We are starting the Series on Drones Insurance, having three parts. In this, we will see all insight into Drones from their History to present times.
In all three series, we will discuss all aspects of Drones Insurance from modern times to the present time.
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Drones Meaning
The Drones is also known as UAV(Unmanned) or UAS(Unmanned aircraft systems).
Till now, Drones were used for military combat purposes without putting a pilot’s life at risk.
We can say that Drones are a type of automatic robots that can be controlled by specializing software’s, by use of GPS and onboard sensors
History of Drones
The traces of Drones use were found in Italy year 1849 when Venice fought for its independence from Austria.
First pilotless radio-controlled aircraft were used during World War I. In 1918, the U.S. Army used the experimental Kettering Bug, an unmanned “Flying Bomb”.
After this, the first general use of Drone was in 1935 as a full-size retooling of the de Havilland DF4AB “Queen Bee” biplane, which was fitted with a radio and servo-operated controls in the back seat.
In the early 1990, the military started the use of drones in its operations.
Drones history in India
The first commercial use in India was in 2014. When the Mumbai based ‘Pizzeria’ started to use Pizza delivery through Drones to its customers.
That was banned immediately due to the required license issue. In this, the Pizzeria the use of Drones to air-drop pizzas.
Asteria Aerospace Pvt. Ltd., Bangaluru, was the first company to receive Drone Insurance for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations. Insurance is given by the state-owned General insurance company.
But from the last few years, Drones adoption has been increased many folds across industries.
Now the prospect usage of Drones is easily visible in almost each Industry segment, whether Agriculture, Defence, space, Insurance, and many more.
Types of Drones
Drones can be classified under 02 main categories based on their type and Weight:-
# BY TYPE – Under this category, Drones can be classifieds as:-
A. Multi-Rotor Drones
B. Fixed Wing Drones
C. Single Rotor Helicopter
D. Fixed-Wing Hybrid VTOL
A. Multi-Rotor Drones-
These are the most common type of Drones, which are used by professionals and by hobbyists.
They are widely used for Aerial photography, video surveillance, etc.
These are available in the market for different professionals like aerial photography and many variants like drone racing, leisure flying, etc.
If we want a camera set out in the air for a short period, then Multirotor drones are the cheapest and easiest option available in its segment.
Multirotor drones can be further classified on the basis of the number of rotors equip in that. They are
- Tricopter (3 rotors)
- Quadcopter (4 rotors)
- Hexacopter (6 rotors)
- Octocopter (8 rotors)
Out of the above, Quadcopters are very popular in use. Flying Quadcopters does not require special training. We take them to an open area and fly it. Guiding and controlling a quadcopter can be learned easily.
Fixed Wings Drones
These drones are entirely different from the Multi-Rotor drones in handling and using them, like usual aeroplanes.
They have fixed-wing, and for moving forward, they require ‘runway’ or a catapult launcher to set them its course in the air.
Again a runway, a parachute, or net is needed to land them back in the ground safely.
Most fixed wings drones have an average flying time of a couple of hours.
Gas engine powered drones can fly up to 16 hours or higher.
The longer flying time and fuel efficiency make fixed-wing drones for long-distance operations.
Fixed wings Drones are higher in cost and require skill training to flying and handling them.
Single Rotor Drones
Single rotor drones are looks very similar to Helicopter in design and structure. They have just one big-sized rotor and one small-sized one on the tail of the Drone to control its heading.
Single rotor drones have higher flying times and can be powered by gas engines.
As per aerodynamic theory too, the lower the number of rotors, the lesser will be the spin of objects.
In this sense, Single rotor drones are more stable and efficient than multi-rotor drones.
Hybrid VTOL
As the name applies, these are hybrid in nature of combining the benefits of Fixed wings drones and rotor based models.
They are a unique integration of higher flying time(fixed wings models) with hover capability(rotor based models).
The popular available version of this kind of model is one used in Amazon commercials, which is used for delivering its prime delivery service.
# BY WEIGHT – Under this category, Drones can be classified as:-
A. Nano Drones (less than 250 gms./.55 pounds)
B. Micro Drones (250 gms. To 2 kg./ 4.4 ponds)
C. Small Drones (2kg./4.4 pounds – 25kg./55 pounds)
D. Medium Drones (25kg./55 pounds – 150kg./330 pounds)
E. Large Drones (over 150 kg./330 pounds)
Don”t forget to read our next post in this series too.
Drones use in different sectors, reason to use etc. Click here.
Drones Advantages to Insurers, IRDAI 9 Working Group Committee member Working Group report etc. Click here.
