Unmanned aerial systems (UAS), commonly known as drones, have a wide range of applications across various industries. They are used for aerial photography, precision agriculture, disaster management, forest management, construction, mining, and surveillance. The growing use of drones is driven by advancements in electronic technology, miniaturization, affordability, improved camera and sensor efficiency, and enhanced battery life. In the forestry sector, drones provide a valuable supplement to traditional data collection methods, offering unique perspectives and additional information to enhance data quality.
In forestry, drones play a crucial role in stand delineation and mapping, harvest planning, forest structure estimation, carbon inventory, damage assessments, and pest and disease detection. They are also instrumental in forest fire detection and post-fire mapping. Beyond forestry, drones contribute to ecological mapping, park management, tourism, topographic modeling, soil erosion mapping, wildlife monitoring, and detecting encroachment or trespassing. Their versatility makes them an essential tool for improving environmental management and conservation efforts.
When selecting a drone for forestry applications, rotary-wing drones are often preferred due to their ability to take off and land vertically, making them more practical in forested areas compared to fixed-wing drones, which require larger landing zones. Some fixed-wing drones do have vertical takeoff and landing capabilities, but they are more expensive. Basic rotary-wing drones equipped for forest mapping typically range from $300 to $3,000 and come with standard cameras. However, larger and more specialized drones with advanced sensors, such as LiDAR or multispectral imaging, come at a significantly higher cost, as these sensors are often additional purchases.
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