Drone technology to be used to assess flood damage

New projects funded by the government in AI and drones will analyse flood damage and prevent insurance fraud.

The government has announced funding into 40 new projects including a programme that will utilise artificial intelligence to provide reliable data on flood damage. Another project will use voice recognition and artificial intelligence to prevent insurance fraud.

The analysis tool looks at images taken by drones and us 3D recognition to assess the depth and extent of flood water, estimating the damage to buildings and infrastructure. This will also provide accurate information for insurance claims.

Other projects include a bot that will provide answers for legal questions and software that will analyse accounting data and suggest ways for businesses to cut expenditure. The 40 projects chosen are backed by the £13M Next Generation Services Challenge from the government to improve business.

Business Secretary Greg Clark said: “We want to ensure businesses and consumers benefit from the application of AI – from providing quicker access to legal advice for customers to tackling fraudulent insurance claims, these projects illustrate our modern Industrial Strategy in action.”

“We’re investing record levels in research and development so that every part of the UK can benefit from the industries and high-skilled jobs of the future.”

The funding comes as part of a larger government scheme to introduce AI and data analysis to UK service industries. This is being led by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

The government is discussing increasing funding to local flood prevention schemes, as well as fighting coastal erosion. It is currently spending around £2.6Bn on national flood protection.

At-risk areas of the country which have experienced flooding before, including Cumbria and the South East coast, have ongoing flood defence schemes. Projects include flood defence constructions, tree planting, and drainage systems.

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