Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) for stakeholders
Surveillance is fundamental to control the spread of plant pests. Currently, it relies on trained personnel visually inspecting plants for symptoms. Aerial surveys using RPAS, equipped with advanced cameras, may facilitate surveillance by spotting early signs of pests without needing to inspect every plant, especially in hardly accessible areas.
This method is particularly useful when infestations are sparse within landscapes or affect young trees that are difficult to detect with satellites. RPAS can capture images in hyperspectral, multispectral and thermal domains, helping to detect stress in trees caused by pests even before symptoms are visible, and distinguish it from natural stress.
In FORSAID, we will focus on two key species:
- The pine wood nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, which causes the pine wilt disease. This species is native to North America and was introduced in Europe (Portugal and Spain) in the late 1990s-2000s. The forests of Portugal have been particularly impacted, as they are mainly characterised by maritime pine Pinus pinaster, which is susceptible to the nematode.
- The fungus Ceratocystis platani, which is the causal agent of the lethal disease called canker stain disease. Also from North America, it is threatening plane trees, Platanus spp., in both urban and natural ecosystems in Albania, France, Greece, Italy, Switzerland and Türkiye.
This approach is highly valuable for stakeholders including forest managers and nursery operators, as it allows for quicker responses to pest outbreaks, helping to limit their spread and reduce economic and ecological damage, and supports more targeted interventions, efficient resource use and better long-term management of landscapes.
Forest surveillance with artificial intelligence and digital technologies
Ongoing | 2024-2028
- Main funding source
- Horizon Europe (EU Research and Innovation Programme)
- Geographical location
- Italy, Slovenia, France, Portugal, Germany, Sweden, Bulgaria, Denmark, Ukraine, Switzerland