| Authors | Cedergren et al. |
| Country | Skogforsk (Research note) |
| Paper (PDF) | View paper |
| Category | Silviculture (Tending) › Remote sensing & mapping |
ore a concept rather than existing technology. Idea: airborne machine that fells a tree and flies it t a collection point. Things to consider: maximum payload, transport distance, positioning f the harvester head, tree size
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The application of aerial drones to forest thinning operations encompasses a spectrum of use cases ranging from UAV-based precision mapping to guide manual or mechanical thinning, through to experimental autonomous or remotely operated systems capable of directly executing thinning cuts on standing trees. In the planning and decision-support role — currently the most operationally mature application — drones equipped with RGB, multispectral, or LiDAR sensors survey plantation or natural forest stands to produce individual tree maps that specify which stems should be removed to achieve target stocking densities, basal areas, or species compositions, feeding this prescription directly into harvesting machine guidance systems or work instructions for hand crews. This data-driven thinning prescription significantly improves the spatial consistency of thinning outcomes compared to conventional ocular assessment. More experimentally, research groups in Japan, Scandinavia, and Australia have investigated small UAV platforms capable of physically severing small-diameter stems using onboard cutting tools — saw blades, laser cutters, or high-pressure water jets — for precision thinning in young plantation stands or ecological restoration contexts where machine access is poor. In Australian plantation forestry, early thinning of species such as Radiata pine or Tasmanian blue gum is a critical silvicultural operation that determines final crop tree quality and yield, but it is labour-intensive and costly in remote or steep terrain. UAV-based thinning support — at a minimum providing accurate pre-thinning inventory and post-thinning verification — is viewed as an important efficiency tool, with forward-looking research exploring whether lightweight autonomous drone systems could eventually substitute for labour in first-rotation thinning of small stems. Integration with autonomous ground machinery operating on thinning corridors is another avenue under active development, with drones serving as aerial scouts and supervisors for ground robot thinning systems.
A practical system that supports thinning efficiency and reduces worker exposure in challenging terrain, offering moderate productivity and strong safety value.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Company | Cedergren et al. |
| Country | Skogforsk (Research note) |
| Type | Paper |
| Year | 2024 |
| FWPA RD&E | 8.4 |
| Remarks | 0.0 |
| Case Studies | 0 |