Unfortunately, forest fires are starting to get bigger every year. And if nothing is done, our forests will vanish. However, the company DroneSeed is using drones to replant forests that were affected by fires.
For instance, in just this fire season alone, California has lost over 8 million acres of land to fires. Recovering from destruction of this scale takes time, and using drones can significantly speed up the process.
A single drone can cover 50 acres of land in a day. In comparison, a traditional tree planter can only cover 2 acres of land with a shovel. This makes the drones more efficient and cheaper than large scale forest restoration efforts.
What Do the Drones Do?
The process is pretty simple.
Drones are loaded with “Seed Vessels” (over 50 pounds worth) and take pre-programmed routes over the land. While traveling along the course, the drones drop their load into the land below. And thanks to higher survival rates of the Seed Vessels, trees are more likely to recover than standard planting.
In reality, the drones flying over land is the easy part, the Seed Vessels are what’s crucial to success.
These are constructed based on the land they will be entering. Each batch is made with a specific combination of fertilizers, nutrients, and pest deterrents to help raise the survival rate of these trees.
As a result, they are more effective than traditional methods.
Not A Replacement for Nurseries
Tree nurseries are still important, and they aren’t going anywhere. However, the problem is the speed at which they act. It just isn’t fast enough for this widespread destruction and it costs more for the number of workers necessary to cover the land.
Trees are a vital part of the world meeting climate goals, and nurseries will still play an important role. It isn’t realistic to have drones fly to small land patches and drop seeds. Instead, nurseries will still be vital.
