Faith and heritage sector specialist Ansvar Insurance will use drones in risk mitigation and assessment after obtaining Civil Aviation Safety Authority clearance.

Four risk advisers have gained pilot certification, and the company has bought two drones as part of a year-long program to address regulatory, safety and privacy issues.

CEO Warren Hutcheon says the drones are particularly suited to structures such as cathedrals and heritage buildings, and will aid sum-insured assessments.

“For us it is a real added value for our client base because you can’t easily get on to the roof of a cathedral and look at all the different nuances around the structure,” he told insuranceNEWS.com.au.

“A drone is a fantastic way of us getting a view across the whole building.”

One of Ansvar’s drones, purchased in Germany, is about a metre in diameter, can be programmed to fly on autopilot and has a detachable camera. Separate software provides data processing.

The company aims to add to its fleet over time and incorporate innovations such as thermodynamic imaging.

Ansvar, a subsidiary of the UK-based Ecclesiastical Insurance Office, will provide feedback on drone performance to the wider group.