Patent ID: 8081795

Claim:
A method for assessing a condition of an insured property for insurance purposes using a remote sensor, the method comprising the steps of: identifying the insured property in a database comprising a plurality of insured properties; acquiring a first spectral image of the insured property at a first timestamp; acquiring a second spectral image of the insured property at a second timestamp later than the first timestamp, the remote sensor operating in at least a non-visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum; generating a first spectral signature from the first spectral image; generating a second spectral signature from the second spectral image; storing at least the first spectral signature in the database of insured properties; comparing the first spectral signature to the second spectral signature to determine a spectral difference, the spectral difference corresponding to a change in the condition of the insured property; determining if the spectral difference exceeds a threshold value corresponding to a predetermined vertical concentration profile of a molecular constituent; and initiating an insurance-related action related to a particular type of insured loss associated with a condition producing the predetermined vertical concentration profile, if the spectral difference exceeds the threshold value.