Revolutionizing forest thinning with high-capacity drones, reducing forest fire risk and enhancing the forest’s sequestration capacity
Traditional forestry practices using 15-ton machines cause significant environmental harm. They require extensive clearing, leading to tree and bush removal, and their use damages the soil, potentially causing mercury runoff. The traditional approach undermines forest biodiversity and resilience, and relies heavily on fossil fuels for machinery. What if there was a way to thin forests from the sky?
What is the Solution?
Air Forestry has introduced a novel approach to forest thinning using electric harvesting drones, which significantly reduce environmental damage. These drones gently debranch and cut trees without harming the ground or nearby vegetation, a process that is not only faster but also beneficial for nutrient retention in the forest. By allowing branches and needles to naturally decompose on the forest floor, this method enhances the nutrient cycle within the ecosystem.
This innovative solution is set to substantially lower carbon dioxide emissions and energy consumption, with the potential to reduce over 150,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually in Sweden. The 100% electric drones utilize efficient motors and batteries. Additionally, this drone-based thinning method improves the working conditions for operators, offering better ergonomics and safety. This technological advancement represents a significant shift towards more sustainable forestry practices. AirForestry is gearing up for a commercial launch, having received the necessary regulatory approvals, marking a move towards sustainable, fossil-free forestry.
What EQT Foundation loves about Air Forestry
EQT Foundation loves AirForestry for its groundbreaking change in perspective, by working on a well-known problem from a different angle, from the sky down, rather than from the forest ground and up. Using imagery from the air to decide where and how to thin the forest, and not taking out large areas all at once, represents a step forward towards truly sustainable forestry. Thinning of forest is also an important mitigator of forest fires, and with increasing temperatures and risk of it happening, we are seeing more solutions popping up in this space.
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