LiDAR technology is a remote sensing technique that uses lasers to measure distances with great precision and generates highly detailed 3D models.
The equipment has been acquired with the support of the CERCAGINYS III programme promoted by CERCA and the Generalitat de Catalunya.
The CERCA Agrotecnio research centre and the Forest Science and Technology Centre of Catalonia (CTFC) has incorporated a drone with state-of-the-art technology with the aim of strengthening research in sustainable agriculture, genetic improvement and forest monitoring.
The equipment integrates the LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) system, hyperspectral cameras and a high-resolution RGB camera, which allow very precise data to be captured on the state of crops, vegetation and soils. LiDAR technology is a remote sensing technique that uses lasers to measure distances with high accuracy and generates highly detailed 3D models. Hyperspectral cameras provide information on the reflectance of the vegetation cover at a multitude of wavelengths in the visible and infrared spectrum.
The new device has been acquired with the support of the CERCAGINYS III programme, promoted by CERCA and the Generalitat de Catalunya to improve the scientific infrastructures of Catalan research centres.
A disruptive technology that opens up new possibilities
The drone allows spectral, geometric and structural characterisation of vegetation and soils with unprecedented precision, and opens up new possibilities in the diagnosis of water stress, the detection of pests and the assessment of crop quality. The equipment will also be key to the structural analysis of forest stands and the monitoring of their evolution in the face of climate change.
The use of this technology applied to the forestry, environmental and agricultural fields will have a disruptive effect, since it will make it possible to collect and process an enormous amount of information from large areas with complex structures and multiple variables and ecosystem services to monitor, as is the case of forests.
According to Dr. Jordi Voltas, scientific leader of the project, and Professor at the University of Lleida “This system puts us at the level of the best European partners in terms of research in agriculture and forest management. It is a unique strategic tool to better understand how plant systems respond to climate stress and to drive innovation in the agri-food and forestry sector.
This technology will be shared between Agrotecnio and the Centre of Forest Science and Technology of Catalonia (CTFC), in the framework of its Joint Research Unit JRU-CTFC-Agrotecnio-CERCA and will facilitate access to this technology for both internal and external researchers.
According to Voltas, “The acquisition of this equipment will not only improve the scientific impact of Agrotecnio and CTFC projects, but will also contribute to the transfer of technology to the productive sector and to better decision-making by the public administration. Applications range from crop phenotyping and genetic improvement to the monitoring of forests vulnerable to fire, pests and drought.