Blazing New Trails: Drones in the Forestry Sector
In forestry, a new chapter is being written—one where data comes alive, guiding us to manage and protect our forests in ways we never thought possible. Drones have become a natural extension of how we see and understand these vast landscapes, unlocking unprecedented detail. From block layout and burn pile management to assessing forest health and generating precise digital elevation models (DEMs), the boundaries of what drones can do are continually being pushed. It’s a thrilling evolution, and the forestry sector stands at the forefront of this transformative wave.
At this pivotal moment, drone technology has matured to a level where it can be confidently applied to regulated industries like forestry. The drone revolution isn’t just about flying—it’s about connecting the dots, offering clarity, and harnessing the full potential of data. Whether creating sophisticated digital maps or evaluating post-burn conditions, drones provide a seamless experience, cutting through the complexity that once hindered traditional forestry methods.
Reimagining the Forest with Drones
Boots-on-the-ground methods have long-defined forestry. Teams of surveyors would trek through dense terrain, manually recording forest health, mapping out blocks, and planning road networks. While effective, this approach is time-consuming and labour-intensive, leaving gaps in the data that can only be filled by modern technology. Enter the survey drone. These flying marvels offer us a new perspective, literally, and the ability to capture high-resolution imagery and data with an ease that reshapes how we manage forests.
Take block layout, for example. Previously, teams would walk the forest boundaries, marking points and mapping it by hand—a process that could take days or even weeks. Now, with a drone, the entire block can be surveyed in mere hours, producing an accurate digital map. These maps not only save time but also provide levels of detail that empower forestry professionals to make precise, informed decisions.
Then there’s road mapping—one of the most critical aspects of forestry operations. Accurate road networks can make or break an operation’s efficiency and safety. Drones with LiDAR sensors provide hyper-accurate digital elevation models, revealing the terrain in stunning detail. Planning routes and bridges with these models ensures operations run smoother and faster while reducing environmental impact. In all its complexity, the forest becomes more navigable through these digital eyes.
Tree planting layout for field crews produced in Nova with drone-based orthomosaic imagery, road layout and map icons
Mastering Burn Pile Management
Controlled burns are essential in forestry management, reducing fuel loads to prevent larger wildfires. However, managing burn piles is no small task. Ensuring that every ember is fully extinguished is crucial, as a single lingering hotspot can reignite, threatening the forest. Drones are now playing a critical role in this aspect of forest management, equipped with thermal cameras to monitor burn piles with precision.
Nova’s Hotspot plugin, powered by advanced machine learning, automatically detects any residual heat in burn piles. Trained on over a million hotspots collected from wildfires and burn piles across the last decade, our technology ensures no ember is left unnoticed. This level of accuracy transforms how forestry teams approach fire management, offering them confidence that their landscape is fully safe.
Within seconds, hotspots can be identified and located within a few feet, allowing ground teams to quickly respond, extinguishing any risk.
It’s not just about detecting heat—it’s about acting on that information. With Nova, you can instantly generate a PDF map highlighting the exact locations of these hotspots, ready to hand over to your crews on the ground. It’s a simple, seamless process, giving you the power to stay ahead of potential threats while protecting the forest.
A New Frontier in Forest Health Monitoring
Forests are living, breathing ecosystems, vulnerable to everything from pest infestations to disease outbreaks. Monitoring the health of these vast areas is a task that once required painstaking on-the-ground efforts. Today, drones make this process more efficient and insightful than ever before. With multispectral and thermal cameras, drones fly above the forest canopy, capturing data invisible to the human eye.
This technology can detect subtle changes in a tree's health, such as pest damage or water stress, early. Multispectral imagery reflects changes in a tree's chlorophyll content, allowing foresters to identify unhealthy trees before the damage becomes widespread. Thermal cameras reveal temperature variations in the canopy, indicating potential issues like disease or drought stress. This enables forestry teams to take action long before the health of the forest is visibly compromised.
Nova takes this drone data and transforms it into meaningful insights. With just a few clicks, foresters can generate detailed reports and maps, offering a window into the state of the forest. This data isn’t just for scientists or GIS experts—Nova makes it accessible for anyone, whether a seasoned forester or a new team member. The power to understand forest health at a glance is now within reach.
Firewise Prescription showing the outcome of the fuels management work and burn piles.
Unlocking the Power of Drones with Nova
Nova is designed for those charting new paths in forestry. It brings advanced drone data processing within reach of everyone—from managers to ground crews. We are here to remove the barriers between raw data and actionable products. It’s about distilling complexity into simplicity, empowering forestry teams to do more with less effort.
One key tool in this process is Nova’s Orthomosaic plugin. Orthomosaics—seamless, high-resolution maps created from hundreds of aerial images—are essential in forestry, providing detailed overviews of vast areas. These maps are instrumental in assessing deforestation, tracking reforestation efforts, and supporting forest inventory projects. Nova simplifies this process, stitching together images and easily correcting distortions, so your team can focus on the mission at hand.
Forest health monitoring, burn pile management, block layout, road mapping—Nova's platform makes each of these critical tasks simpler, clearer, and more efficient. But it’s not just about the tasks—it’s about the people behind them. Our platform is designed to be intuitive and accessible, giving even non-technical users the ability to harness the full power of drone data. Nova makes it easy for anyone to create and use orthomosaics, generate detailed reports, and share insights across teams.
The Future is in the Forest
As drone technology continues to evolve, its applications in forestry will only grow more profound. From transporting saplings with heavy-lift drones to employing drones for wildlife monitoring, the future of forestry is a blend of tradition and cutting-edge innovation. Nova stands at the intersection of these worlds, offering a platform that empowers forestry professionals to harness the full potential of their drone programs.
The forest is ever-changing, but with the right tools, we can stay ahead of the curve. Nova gives forestry teams the power to manage their landscapes with confidence, clarity, and precision. Whether you’re monitoring forest health, assessing burn piles, or conducting block layouts, Nova helps you shape the future of forestry with ease.