Drone pilot error absolute number 1 reason for insurance claims

The Dutch drone insurer Coverdrone has compiled a top 10 of the most common reasons for insurance claims in 2021. It turns out: ‘drone pilot error' is still top of the list, although this was less common in 2021 than the year before.

Notably, loss of a drone due to a flyaway was more frequently claimed, while mechanical problems were reported less frequently.

Drone Pilot error is most common

Every year, Coverdrone compiles a list of the most common reasons for insurance claims. Not only does this give the insurer better insight into the market, drone users can also benefit from the statistics. It is therefore interesting to see what the most reported causes for the loss of a device are.

According to Coverdrone, most crashes are due to human error, also known as drone pilot errors. Nevertheless, an improvement can be seen: in 2020 drone pilot errors accounted for 49% of the claims, in 2021 this was only the case in 33% of the cases. Coverdrone is thinking of the theory test introduced last year as a possible cause.

More flyaways

It is remarkable that the phenomenon of flyaway – the uncontrolled flying away of a drone – was more common in 2021 than in 2020. Mechanical problems, on the other hand, were less common. Power outages and connectivity issues were also frequently cited as reasons for a drone's loss.

The full top 10 can be found below. Incidentally, Coverdrone states that the claims were resolved in more than 98% of the cases. The insurer advises drone pilots to collect as much evidence as possible in the event of an accident or loss of aircraft, such as photos, flight logs and proof of purchase. In the case of claims by professionals, flight plans, permits and the operational manual must also be provided.

Top 10 claims:

1. Drone pilot error
2. Accidental Damage
3. Loss of data connection
4. Flyaway
5. Loss due to crash
6. Mechanical problem
7. Bird strike
8. Power failure
9. Weather conditions
10. Theft from a vehicle

Let us know what you think about this list of top ten insurance claims with drone pilot error being the number 1 reason in the comments below. Are there any other situations you can think of or may have experienced that are not mentioned here? We'd be curious to know.

Coverdrone is based in the the Netherlands and provides insurance for both recreational drone fliers as well as commercial drone pilots in most European Countries, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. You can find out more about them here.

This article first appeared on Dronewatch and is written by Wiebe de Jager who is also a DroneXL contributor.

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