Katam launches the world’s first service for capturing tree trunk data using camera drones

Katam continues to provide global forestry with services for precise decision support and increased wood growth and quality. By using autonomous drones for video recordings, Katam now introduces an additional method for acquiring forest data.

A new service offered by Katam Technologies utilises autonomous drones to complement manual measurements of tree trunk diameter. With this new solution, forest owners and field personnel can avoid entering inaccessible, hilly, thorny, and even dangerous forests, such as tropical environments that are home to spiders and snakes.

Traditionally, drones are used in forestry by flying above the tree canopies. However, when flying above the trees, information about the trunk diameter cannot be captured. Luckily, highly affordable consumer drones are now equipped with advanced navigation and collision systems that support flying within the forest itself, at just a few metres up. By using the drones for video recordings, Katam now introduces an additional method for capturing trunk data that serves as input to the Katam forest analysis system.

The new recording method using autonomous flying drones is a result of ADACORSA, an EU-funded project where Ericsson, Lund University, and Katam Technologies constitute the Swedish partners of the consortium. ADACORSA aims to strengthen the European drone industry. Its mission is to increase public and government acceptance of BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line-Of-Sight) drones by demonstrating technology for safe and reliable drone operation in all situations and flight phases. Katam brings domain knowledge of the forestry use case in addition to significant AI analysis experience.

Katam Technologies offers decision support services to the forestry sector, for operational as well as long-term strategic purposes. Patented algorithms, artificial intelligence and Katam’s own forestry experts, together ensure that forest data is transformed into valuable decision-making facts for global forestry. 

For more information about how to improve your business with Katam, contact the Katam sales team.