THE USE OF DRONE/UAV TECHNOLOGY IN PRECISION FORESTRY. CASE STUDY: NATIONAL PARK DIVJAKE KARAVASTA

This paper is a practical guide which focuses on the use of Drone UAV technology in Precision Forestry, mainly in the identification of vegetation indicators that also determine the forests health.This study represent an innovative methodology that guides and encourages the use of these technologies in decision-making, operational and managerial institutions that focus on the management and preservation of forests and protected areas.In this context, a model has been provided that describes the selection of the best techniques and platforms to perform geospatial analysis supported by high-resolution spectral data that support the classification of the study area according to vegetation data, plant stress indicators mainly from drought, water saturation, extreme weather conditions, etc.The purpose of this study is to identify forest areas under stress, closely related to abiotic factors through Drone UAV technology and sensors that identify chlorophyll or other indicators of plant health.Under these conditions, information on abiotic conditions such as geomorphology, soil properties, climatic conditions and hydrology (not necessarily derived from UAV surveys) is often essential to the model, and thus, part of it is to integrate the findings with other applications such as GIS Survey 123.The results of this study are based on a pilot area, namely an area near a wetland in the Divjake Karavasta National Park, Albania.