Friday, October 10, 2025
Data acquisition—the process of gathering precise and comprehensive knowledge about forest health, structure, and land conditions—is proving to be an invaluable asset for maximising resource efficiency in modern forestry operations. Leading this technological vanguard is SCA, which is integrating high-tech tools, including specialised drones and, most recently, an autonomous airship, to map its vast forest holdings.
Magnus Bergman, SCA Forest’s Head of Technology and Digitalization, underscores the significance of this shift: “Technological tools are a critical component in acquiring superior data for planning, influencing both individual harvesting decisions and the long-term management strategies for expansive forest territories. Consequently, we are eager to embrace new technology and rigorously evaluate novel tools.”
The birth of the forest’s digital twin
By systematically collecting granular data on crucial attributes—such as the age distribution of forest stands, the composition of tree species, the volume of standing biomass, and the varying soil conditions—SCA is constructing a sophisticated “digital twin” of its forests. This virtual replica allows forest managers to model and predict the real-world conditions of the physical forest with unprecedented accuracy.
SCA has a well-established history of gathering and processing this essential data through remote sensing, utilising aerial photography and scanning techniques carried out via drones and helicopters. The digital twin concept leverages this foundation, moving beyond generalized stand-level data toward hyper-detailed, individual tree-level intelligence. This year marks a significant leap in data collection with the initiation of flights in the Västernorrland region of Sweden using a 12-meter-long, remotely operated airship. This lighter-than-air platform introduces several unique advantages over conventional aerial methods. Powered by a clean, hydrogen fuel cell, the airship possesses exceptional endurance, capable of remaining airborne for up to half a day, and can cover significantly long distances.
“While the airship shares similarities with our existing helicopter and drone operations, it offers unique features,” explains Bergman. “It is distinct in its ability to survey vast expanses, maintain flight for extended durations, and critically, operate at a substantially reduced cost compared to, for instance, a helicopter flight.” This potent combination of large-area coverage and low operational overhead positions the autonomous airship as a game-changer for large-scale, continuous forest monitoring.
The SingleTree initiative
The airship flights, conducted in partnership with the Finnish company Kelluu, are part of the broader, EU-funded research initiative known as SingleTree. This ambitious project aims to perfect the mapping and monitoring of trees down to the individual plant level. The core objective of SingleTree is to explore how forest value chains can be optimised, from planting to harvest, by integrating detailed, individual-tree information with cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) and advanced remote sensing techniques.
SCA is a key participant in the SingleTree project, serving as the “Living Lab North” and providing real-world testing grounds and data from its extensive holdings. The company recognises the profound potential of this detailed information. “We are already quite advanced in our data collection at the stand level, but we are highly motivated to get even closer and acquire as much knowledge as possible about each solitary tree,” says Bergman.
The creation and use of the digital twin promise a significant boost to operational efficiency. With a robust digital replica of the forest, work planning—especially for complex harvesting operations—becomes faster, more efficient, and fundamentally more accurate. This digitalisation also reallocates valuable human resources. Instead of spending extensive time on routine field surveys, personnel are freed up to conduct more focused, targeted field visits to areas requiring closer examination for ecological, health, or planning reasons.
The implications of the SingleTree project extend far beyond the commercial interests of a single company, such as SCA. It addresses a fundamental disparity in forest data collection across the continent.
“In Sweden, we have highly developed methods for collecting forest data, but this is not a universal standard, even within the EU,” notes Bergman. By fostering a larger, shared knowledge base and common digital methodologies across the European Union, the project facilitates better comparisons and standardised follow-up between diverse regions. This shared platform will allow forest managers to effectively compare conditions, evaluate the success of various forestry methods, and determine which measures yield the best results across the EU’s varied landscapes and climates.
Ultimately, the marriage of advanced remote sensing technology—drones, airships, and satellites—with AI-driven analytics is fundamentally reshaping the practice of forestry. For SCA’s own operations, Bergman sees a direct positive correlation: “We have observed that enhanced information and superior planning in both the short and long term are instrumental in maintaining net growth in our forests and ensuring we utilise the wood resources we possess in the most resource-efficient manner possible. Suppose we can contribute to achieving similar, positive results in more regions throughout the EU. In that case, that will be an overwhelmingly beneficial outcome for the industry and for environmental sustainability across the continent.” The deployment of the autonomous airship in Västernorrland is not merely a technical novelty; it is a clear statement of intent, signaling a future where forestry is truly a data-driven, precision-managed, and globally sustainable industry.
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Tags: AI, Autonomous Airship, digital twin, Forest Inventory, Precision Forestry, SingleTree Project
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