ADM Crop Risk Services (ADM CRS) announced today that it has received
regulatory approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to operate
unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to expedite and improve claims
processing, an industry-first addition to its cutting-edge suite of
claims technologies.
“ADM is continuing to deliver on our commitment to create shareholder
value, including by enhancing how we deliver products and services to
our customers,” said Greg Mills, president, ADM CRS. “For years, ADM CRS
has been leading the industry in developing new technologies to improve
customer service and dramatically reduce the time to complete and pay
out claims. Between apps like AerosExpress™ and a great team of people
who are out there every day working to serve our customers, we are
continuing to set the standard.
“Now, we are setting our sights even higher, with UAV plans and
technology that are significantly ahead of the rest of the industry,”
Mills continued. “Our innovative UAV technology—which includes not only
the vehicles, but the software to integrate them smoothly into our
Aeros™ suite of claims software—allows us to locate and calculate crop
damage and transfer that information into a claim quickly, accurately
and efficiently, so our customers can get their payments faster than
ever before. The FAA exemption means we are on track to have this
technology in the air for our customers next year.”
ADM’s UAVs will be able to identify and measure:
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Damaged acres
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Corn stand counts
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Wind-blown or green snap acres
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Hail damage
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Prevented planting acreage/acreage without crop vegetation
The system will use state-of-the art vehicles and programming: UAVs will
be highly automated, able to take off, make measurements and land by
themselves. ADM is developing proprietary software that enables the
vehicles to automatically download measurements and information as
images are taken, allowing data analysis and claims processing to begin
almost immediately.
ADM CRS will continue to develop and test the technology through the
2015 crop year, with a planned launch of the system for customers in
2016. The system will be rolled out to customers in the Midwest first,
followed by other regions.
“We are tremendously excited to start showing this state-of-the-art
system to our customers,” Mills added. “We’ll be offering something no
one else in the industry can offer, and the farmers we serve will be the
ones who benefit.”
About ADM CRS
Since 1982, ADM Crop Risk Services has offered crop insurance through
licensed independent agents, providing farmers with affordable crop
income protection, superior service and utmost integrity.
About ADM
For more than a century, the people of Archer Daniels Midland Company
(NYSE: ADM) have transformed crops into products that serve the vital
needs of a growing world. Today, we’re one of the world’s largest
agricultural processors and food ingredient providers, with more than
33,000 employees serving customers in more than 140 countries. With a
global value chain that includes more than 460 crop procurement
locations, 300 ingredient manufacturing facilities, 40 innovation
centers and the world’s premier crop transportation network, we connect
the harvest to the home, making products for food, animal feed, chemical
and energy uses. Learn more at www.adm.com.
Copyright Business Wire 2015