As the Drone Girl, I’m always getting questions from new pilots! To help me answer this smart question about whether homeowner’s insurance covers drones, I’ve enlisted the help of Patrick Sherman. Like me, he’s a long-time drone enthusiast who has risen to become a professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University specializing in, you guessed it, drones! 

One reader wrote in to say:  My daughter wants to learn how to fly drones, which I think is great, but I checked my homeowner’s insurance policy and there is a clause that says something about how it doesn’t cover aviation-related losses and liability. Does that apply to drones?

Patrick Sherman, who is also the author of the book “Getting Started with Drones and Model Airplanes” knows a thing or two about launching a drone business. Given that, I asked him to help me answer this question

Here was his response (and if you want more of his insights, grab a copy of his book today!):

Great question! People often overlook the question of drone insurance  — especially when it comes to recreational pilots. For starters, drones are often positioned as toys that aren’t likely to cause any serious harm. However, anything turning at 5,000 rotations per minute – the typical speed of a drone’s propellers – or falling from 400 feet in the air has the potential to cause serious injury or damage.

And secondly, unlike in other countries, the U.S.’s civil aviation regulatory, the Federal Aviation Administration, does not require drone insurance as a requirement to fly drones. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have it.

Can homeowner’s insurance cover drones?

Let’s talk about that clause in your homeowner’s insurance policy. I am neither an insurance agent nor an attorney, so this should categorically not be regarded as legal advice upon which you should make any decision. However, it is my understanding from knowledgeable people that the sort of clause you describe is very common in insurance policies and, yes, drones are included. In other words, a single mishap could put you, personally, on the hook for tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages.

An easy, cheap way to get drone liability insurance

However, I certainly don’t want to put you off having your daughter learn to fly and, fortunately, there is an easy solution. The Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) has been around since 1937 and one of the major benefits they offer to members is a $2.5 million liability policy that will protect you from claims related to the operation of remotely controlled flying machines. To be sure, the AMA’s primary focus is on conventional model airplanes, but the policy applies 100% to drones.

The best news is that assuming your daughter is age 18 or younger, annual membership in the AMA costs just $15, including the insurance and a host of other benefits (including a monthly magazine that features articles from yours truly!). To keep the policy in force, it’s important that your daughter follows the AMA’s safety code, but these are straightforward rules designed to keep everyone safe. After all, learning to fly means learning to fly safely.

Have fun!

-Patrick Sherman

Are you starting out as a remote pilot? Do you have other questions you’d like Patrick to answer? The chances are that he already has answered it! Check out his new book, “Getting Started with Drones and Model Airplanes,” published by Aviation Supplies & Academics – the leading publisher of aviation-related books in the United States. Copies are available on Amazon!

If you have a question for Drone Girl, contact her here.

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