FAA Clears Drone Fleet Using Raleigh Technology for Takeoff

(Source: Biz Journals) 

A drone services company already seen flying over North Carolina corn fields for research projects has received permission from the Federal Aviation Administration to fly more than 300 types of unmanned aerial systems commercially.

The decision means Washington, D.C.-based Measure can fly more types of drones than any other company in the country. Its CEO, Brandon Torres Declet, says via prepared statement that FAA’s approval allows it to “leverage the vast number of high quality aircraft available” and offer “turnkey solutions” for a variety of industries, including agriculture, energy, insurance and infrastructure.

And it’s a decision with Raleigh impact, as Measure integrates software developed by Raleigh-based PrecisionHawk into its “Drone as a Service” offering.

“PrecisionHawk’s analytical software, among the most sophisticated in the world, is a critical tool for clients who need powerful near real time data processing capabilities,” Declet said at the time. Both companies offer drone services so that people wanting to apply the technology to their own businesses can do so without having to apply for their own FAA exemptions.

Measure has actively been researching how to use the devices in the agriculture space. Earlier this summer, the company, alongside the American Farm Bureau Federation, released a study aimed at identifying and quantifying the benefits of using drones in agriculture. That study found that farmers using drones for crop scouting got a $12 return on their investment per acre of corn.

PrecisionHawk served as a sponsor in that study.
The two companies teamed up on test flights over the summer in North Carolina.

Continue Reading at BizJournals.com…