Drone seeding
Drones may be used to drop seed bombs.
For example, in July 2023 an estimated 20 million birch seeds were dispersed over the hillside above the A83 in Scotland by drone technology. This trial seeding project was part of a collaboration between Forestry and Land Scotland, Forest Research, Auto Spray Systems and Transport Scotland.
The project hopes to reduce the likelihood of landslips along the A83 as the tree root systems are expected to improve soil structure and reduce soil erosion. The partners on this project suggest that the drone technology can be particularly useful in areas where previous landslips have taken place as these locations are unsafe for people to carry out planting.
To operate, a drone is fitted with a seed dispenser and programmed to follow GPS tracking points. In this project, a seeding process covering 12 hectares that would have taken weeks to carry out by hand was completed in a few hours.
This trial seeding project will be monitored to understand the success of the seeding method.
Beyond the environmental impacts, this technology raises questions about the social and political impacts of drone seeding on forestry workers, both in terms of health and safety and in terms of livelihoods.
Screenshot from Forestry and Land Scotland website depicting seeding drone hovering over hillside