AeroVironment Donates Drones to 35 Agricultural Schools

AeroVironment Inc. has donated 87 Quantix hybrid drones to the agricultural departments at 35 universities throughout the U.S. to improve farming through the use of unmanned aircraft and advanced data analytics. Recipients of the Simi Valley company’s drones include Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Cornell University, Purdue University and Ohio State University. Quantix drones are built for crop scouting and can survey up to 400 acres in 45 minutes. During flight, sensors capture high-resolution color and multispectral imagery. Rick Pedigo, vice president of business development at AeroVironment, said the donations advance research in both drones and agriculture. “We’re preparing the latest generation of farmers to employ drone technology,” he said in a statement. The company announced the donations Wednesday. Shares of AeroVironment (AVAV) closed up $1.11, or 2.1 percent, to $53.05 on the Nasdaq.