Drone-led cyclone damage assessments for Tonga

A fleet of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs, or drones) have been transported to Tonga with the support of the Australian government, to provide a comprehensive visual assessment of the damage caused by Cyclone Gita, the World Bank reports today. Tonga has also received a payout of more than US$3.5 million from the Pacific Catastrophe Risk Insurance Company – the first payout made by the insurance platform established in 2016.