Abstract: A computer system for verifying hail damage and/or detecting hail fraud includes a processor and a non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations including: (i) receiving at least one image of at least a portion of a rooftop; (ii) analyzing the at least one image to identify a plurality of damaged locations; (iii) analyzing damaged locations to determine a distance between each of the damaged locations; and (iv) determining, based upon the analyzing, whether the damaged locations are a result of hail damage by determining the distance between at least some of damaged locations.

Abstract: A computer system for verifying hail damage and/or detecting hail fraud includes a processor and a non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations including: (i) receiving at least one image of at least a portion of a rooftop; (ii) analyzing the at least one image to identify a plurality of damaged locations; (iii) analyzing damaged locations to determine a shape and a size of each of the damaged locations; and (vi) determining, based upon the analyzing, whether the damaged locations are a result of hail damage by comparing the shape and the size of at least one damaged location to the shape and the size of at least one other damaged location.

Abstract: A tethering system for a remote-controlled device including a tether line having a first end adapted to be connected to a ground support and a second end adapted to be connected to the remote-controlled device. The system further includes an anchor-point disposed between the first and second ends of the tether line, the anchor point having an eyelet for securing the tether line and allowing the tether line to slide through the eyelet during use. The anchor-point and eyelet enable the tether line to flex or bend and the remote-controlled device to maneuver one or more of over or around the target area without interfering with any nearby obstructions.

Abstract: Various techniques are described to facilitate controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and viewing feedback received from a UAV. A graphical user interface (GUI) is provided that allows a user to view a display window. The display window may indicate structures or portions of structures in which additional image data is desired by highlighting these portions within the display window. Static imagery may be leveraged to provide smooth and consistent feedback transitions. When a delay exists between the time the UAV sends live video data and the time it may be displayed in the GUI, the static images may be shown in the display window initially until the live video data may be displayed. The opacity of structures included in an initial display window may also transition to a greater opacity over time, with the live video eventually being displayed.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein receive telematics data collected over a period of time, wherein the telematics data is indicative of operation of a vehicle by an owner of the vehicle during the period of time; analyze the telematics data to identify driving behavior(s) of the owner during the period of time; predict one or more user preference values of a vehicle-sharing platform profile of the owner based on the identified one or more driving behaviors, wherein the one or more user preference values define one or more criteria for vehicle renters with whom the first vehicle can be shared; apply the one or more criteria to a potential vehicle renter; and cause an indication of the first vehicle of the owner to be displayed via a mobile device of the potential renter only if the potential vehicle renter satisfies the one or more criteria.

Abstract: Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) may facilitate insurance-related tasks. UAVs may actively be dispatched to an insured asset and the area surrounding an insured asset, such as with the policyholder or insured's permission and collect data related to the insured asset, such as images, video, audio, weather conditions, thermal signatures, wood and soil samples, etc., and transmit this data to a computing device. The computing device may be associated with and/or utilized by an insurance provider to perform insurance-related tasks, such as processing the data to determine an amount of risk associated with the insured asset. If the amount of risk has increased, the computing device may provide a recommendation to a mobile device of the policyholder on how to reduce the risk such that corrective action may be taken. Insurance discounts may be provided based upon following recommendations that mitigate risk.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for providing data associated with insured losses is presented. Data regarding an event that is a cause of the insured losses may be received. Respective indications of locations of properties insured by an insurance provider and sustaining the insured losses may be received. Image data from at least one image capturing device, where the image data is obtained from an aerial view of the properties and indicative of respective conditions of the properties, may be received. The image data may be processed to determine, for each property, an indication of the respective condition. The data associated with the insured losses may be provided via a user interface. The data associated with the insured losses may include (i) the respective indications of the locations of the properties, and (ii) the indications of the respective conditions of the properties.

Abstract: In a method for applying penalties or incentives to a driver of a rented vehicle, an indication that the driver has agreed to terms for renting the vehicle from the vehicle owner is received, with the terms including the potential application of penalties or incentives to the driver based on driving behavior. Telematics data, indicative of operation of the rented vehicle by the driver during a period of time, is also received. By analyzing the telematics data, one or more driving behaviors of the driver during the time period is/are identified. One or more characteristics of the rented vehicle are also determined. One or more penalties or incentives are caused to be applied to the driver, based on the driving behavior(s) and the one or more characteristics of the rented vehicle.

Abstract: Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) may facilitate insurance-related tasks. UAVs may actively be dispatched to an area surrounding an insured or potentially insured asset, such as with the insurance customer's permission, and collect data related to the insured or potentially insured asset, such as size, height, roof shape, materials (siding, roofing), etc. which may form a basis of the underwriting detail used to evaluate a property. The drone data may reveal site characteristics, such as slope or grade of a parcel; the proximity to other structures (and their uses); trees; rivers; coastlines; and earthquake faults. The drone data may be used by an insurance provider remote server to assess the risk associated with an insured asset, generate or modify an insurance premium or discount, etc. The drone data may also be used to mitigate risk and prevent loss by alerting policyholders of the risk such that corrective action may be taken.

Abstract: A computer system for verifying hail damage and/or detecting hail fraud, using computer vision and artificial intelligence, includes a processor and a non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations including: (i) receiving at least one image of at least a portion of a rooftop; (ii) analyzing the image to identify a plurality of damaged locations; (iii) analyzing the damaged locations to determine a distance between each of the damaged locations, a size of each of the damaged locations, and a shape of each of the damaged locations; and (iv) determining whether the damaged locations are a result of actual hail damage based upon at least one of the distance between each of the damaged locations, the size of each of the damaged locations, and the shape of each of the damaged locations.

Abstract: A computer-based method for maintaining an autonomous or self-driving vehicle is provided. The method is implemented using a vehicle controlling (“VC”) computer device installed on the vehicle. The method may include determining that a maintenance operation is required for the self-driving vehicle, retrieving an operator schedule for an operator of the self-driving vehicle, retrieving a facility schedule for a facility, determining a time for performing the maintenance operation based upon the operator schedule, the facility schedule, and an amount of time required to (i) complete the maintenance operation, (ii) drive the self-driving vehicle from a first location to the facility to arrive at the determined time, and (iii) drive the self-driving vehicle to a second location, instructing the self-driving vehicle to drive from the first location to the facility to arrive at the determined time; and/or instructing the self-driving vehicle to drive from the facility a second location.

Abstract: A method and system may determine the condition of insured properties in a neighborhood using aerial images captured from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or from a satellite device. The neighborhood may be selected by identifying a neighborhood that includes properties which are insured by a particular insurance provider. Aerial images of the entire neighborhood may then be captured and received from the UAV or the satellite device. For each insured property in the neighborhood, a condition and level of risk may be automatically determined based on the received aerial images. Then a level of risk indicator may be assigned to the insured property based on the determined level of risk. The aerial images of the insured property may be displayed on a user interface with indications of the level of risk overlaying the aerial images.

Abstract: A method and system may display real-time aerial images of insured properties in a neighborhood captured from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a manned aerial vehicle (MAV), or from a satellite device. For example, aerial images of a neighborhood having insured properties, that have been affected by a catastrophe, may be received from the UAV, MAV, or the satellite device. Aerial images of each insured property may be analyzed to determine a damage severity level and assign a damage severity level indicator to the damage severity level. As a result, the property owner may receive a notification that a catastrophe has impacted her neighborhood. Moreover, the real-time images, with damage severity level indicators overlaying the property, may be transmitted via a web page to the property owner's web-enabled device after the property owner logs in to a customer account.

Abstract: The present embodiments relate to detecting fraudulent insurance claims. According to certain aspects, a central monitoring server may receive and examine data detected by at least one unmanned vehicle and generate an estimated insurance claim for a loss event. The central monitoring server may then receive an actual insurance claim relating to the loss event, and may compare the estimated insurance claim to the actual insurance claim to identify potential buildup included in the actual insurance claim. If buildup is detected, the central monitoring server may then process the actual insurance claim accordingly based upon the potential buildup. As a result, claim monies may be paid to insureds that more accurately reflect actual losses resulting from the loss event, and insurance cost savings may be ultimately passed onto typical insurance customers.

Abstract: Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) may facilitate insurance-related tasks. UAVs may actively be dispatched to an area surrounding an insured or potentially insured asset, such as with the insurance customer's permission, and collect data related to the insured or potentially insured asset, such as size, height, roof shape, materials (siding, roofing), etc. which may form a basis of the underwriting detail used to evaluate a property. The drone data may reveal site characteristics, such as slope or grade of a parcel; the proximity to other structures (and their uses); trees; rivers; coastlines; and earthquake faults. The drone data may be used by an insurance provider remote server to assess the risk associated with an insured asset, generate or modify an insurance premium or discount, etc. The drone data may also be used to mitigate risk and prevent loss by alerting policyholders of the risk such that corrective action may be taken.

Abstract: The method and system may be used to control the movement of a remote aerial device in an incremental step manner during a close inspection of an object or other subject matter. At the inspection location, a control module “stabilizes” the remote aerial device in a maintained, consistent hover while maintaining a close distance to the desired object. The control module may retrieve proximal sensor data that indicates possible nearby obstructions to the remote aerial device and may transmit the data to a remote control client. The remote control module may determine and display the possible one or more non-obstructed directions that the remote aerial device is capable of moving by an incremental distance. In response to receiving a selection of one of the directions, the remote control module may transmit the selection to the remote aerial device to indicate the next movement for the remote aerial device.

Abstract: Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) may facilitate insurance-related tasks. UAVs may actively be dispatched to an insured asset and the area surrounding an insured asset, such as with the policyholder or insured's permission and collect data related to the insured asset, such as images, video, audio, weather conditions, thermal signatures, wood and soil samples, etc., and transmit this data to a computing device. The computing device may be associated with and/or utilized by an insurance provider to perform insurance-related tasks, such as processing the data to determine an amount of risk associated with the insured asset. If the amount of risk has increased, the computing device may provide a recommendation to a mobile device of the policyholder on how to reduce the risk such that corrective action may be taken. Insurance discounts may be provided based upon following recommendations that mitigate risk.

Abstract: In a computer-implemented method and system for capturing the condition of a structure, the structure is scanned with a three-dimensional (3D) scanner. The 3D contact scanner includes a tactile sensor system having at least one tactile sensor for generating 3D data points based on tactile feedback resulting from physical contact with at least part of the structure. A 3D model is constructed from the 3D data and is then analyzed to determine the condition of the structure.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for using data collected by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to generate insurance claim estimates that an insured individual may quickly review, approve, or modify. When an insurance-related event occurs, such as a vehicle collision, crash, or disaster, one or more UAVs are dispatched to the scene of the event to collect various data, including data related to vehicle or real property (insured asset) damage. With the insured's permission or consent, the data collected by the UAVs may then be analyzed to generate an estimated insurance claim for the insured. The estimated insurance claim may be sent to the insured individual, such as to their mobile device via wireless communication or data transmission, for subsequent review and approval. As a result, insurance claim handling and/or the online customer experience may be enhanced.

Abstract: Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) may facilitate the generation of a virtual reconstruction model of a vehicle collision. UAVs may collect data (including images) related to the vehicle collision, such as with the insured's permission, which may be received by an external computing device associated with the insurer and utilized to perform a photogrammetric analysis of the images to determine vehicle impact points, the road layout at the scene of the collision, the speeds and directions of vehicles, etc. This data may be used to generate a virtual reconstruction model of the vehicle collision. An insurer may use the virtual reconstruction model to perform various insurance-related tasks, such as allocating fault to drivers or autonomous vehicles involved in the vehicle collision, and adjustment of insurance pricing based upon the fault allocation. As a result, innocent drivers or vehicles may not be unfairly penalized for vehicle collisions not their fault.