DRONE FORESTRY APPLICATIONS:

LiDAR is a method for measuring distances by illuminating the target with laser light and measuring the reflection with a sensor. Differences in laser return times and wavelengths can then be used to make digital 3-D representations. These 3-D models can be used to assess forest structure, volume, biomass, tree height, vertical distribution, stand counts, and penetrate through the canopy to render digital terrain models.

UAV-flown LiDAR delivers greater precision and accuracy than other airborne methods at a more reasonable cost.

Pests are an increased threat to forests in the world and can destroy complete acreages if not detected early enough. Quantifying an invasion in remote areas can be challenging, if not impossible with traditional methods. Drone mapping, on the other hand, offers a detailed overview of infestation levels that foresters can then use to guide management practices, like localized cutting. With traditional methods, identification of bark beetle infestation in a stand would mean cutting everything down to avoid further spread. As a result of using these remote sensing methods though, only 35% of the stand was cut, saving the remaining majority of the stand and driving revenue.