Forest liming by helicopter is a challenge in terms of precision, coordination and flight skills. In German forests, lime application is regularly carried out during the autumn and winter months to counteract soil acidification. On a cold winter's day this February, the sensor from CAURUS Technologies was part of such an external load mission for the first time. Mounted underneath the helicopter on its cargo hook and above the lime container, the sensor recorded every movement of the container as it was filled and the lime dropped. All against the background of the crossed over terrain.
The mission: to gather precise data to measure the effectiveness of the lime application. The sensor is designed as a platform and is part of an innovative technology being developed for extinguishing fires from the air using helicopters. The modular system consists of a sensor and its software, as well as a module for aerial dispersion extinguishing.
“We want to use every opportunity to test the sensor during flight operations. With each photo or video taken, we can train our AI algorithms to transform the data obtained from the air into meaningful images for the operations command. We are very grateful for the opportunity to further test the sensor in its latest configuration during active forest lime application,” says Philippe Telle, co-founder and CEO of CAURUS Technologies. ”Forest liming offers similar optical situations to forest firefighting from the air. This was a good opportunity for us to further test the robustness, functionality and operability of the sensor and to develop the software and AI with the data obtained.”
Improved coordination based on detailed data
GPS-supported digital maps usually show the pilot in the helicopter exactly which areas of a forest need lime application and which can be omitted (e.g. water, sensitive nature conservation areas). This technology enables precise lime application. Advanced sensor technology can be used to electronically measure and record the uptake of lime and its discharge over the forest, providing deeper insights into the precision and effectiveness of the liming process and improving coordination between the stakeholders involved. Digital surveying or other data collection methods are also conceivable, and the system can be easily expanded as needed.
The need for forest lime application
Liming is necessary to protect the soil from acidification. A helicopter flies over a defined forest area and releases lime from a container below the helicopter onto the forest. In Germany, three to four tons of lime per hectare has been applied as the usual amount for many years. Between 1980 and 2012, an average of approximately 300,000 tons of lime were applied in Germany. This means that an average of approximately 100,000 hectares (ha) of forest were limed each year.