FAA expands Clemson license to fly unmanned vehicles

Clemson University has been granted a blanket license by the Federal Aviation Administration to fly unmanned aerial vehicles through out the U-S and to register more Clemson employees as UAV pilots.  Now, research engineer Joe Mari Maja can fly a “small UAV” weighing less than 55 pounds anywhere in the U-S.  Maja uses UAVs to monitor crop health and gather data to improve farming efficiency and productivity by letting growers know precisely when and where to water, fertilize or spray crops,  The eyes in the sky also quickly spot diseased livestock that require attention.  The new license also allows Clemson to register more Clemson employees as pilots.  Maja said he plans to develop or co-develop training and certification materials with the help of legal counsel for safe and responsible operation of UAV for the university operators.