Integrated aerial and ground unmanned systems for assessing war-induced forest ecosystem damage

Armed conflicts pose severe and multidimensional threats to forest ecosystems, including large-scale fires, mechanical destruction of vegetation, soil degradation, chemical contamination, and biodiversity loss. The aim of this study was to theoretically substantiate the use of integrated aerial and ground unmanned systems for monitoring war-induced forest ecosystem damage under limited-access conditions. The study used a theoretical-analytical approach combining systematic literature review, comparative analysis, and conceptual synthesis of remote forest monitoring methods based on aerial and ground unmanned systems. It was established that traditional methods for monitoring forest damage, despite the high accuracy and comprehensiveness, were ineffective under armed conflict conditions due to physical danger, labour intensity, and limited access to affected areas. This determined the need to transition to innovative remote technologies to ensure continuous and accurate observation of forest ecosystem conditions. According to data from specialised studies and open environmental sources, unmanned aerial vehicles and ground platforms demonstrated high efficiency in conducting rapid monitoring of forest ecosystems in combat zones, particularly under conditions of restricted access. The methods considered make it possible to promptly detect manifestations of natural area degradation and assess the scale of tree stand damage both in Ukraine and beyond its borders. The practical significance of the study lay in the use of unmanned systems for environmental monitoring, damage assessment, and support of forest restoration in combat zones