Japanese engineers have developed AI-powered drones that can plant trees up to ten times faster than traditional methods, offering a new tool in the fight against deforestation.
The drones use LiDAR technology to scan terrain and analyze soil conditions in fire-damaged or deforested areas. They then deploy biodegradable seed pods containing seeds, nutrients, and beneficial fungi that help seedlings establish themselves, according to Sparknify.
Field trials in wildfire-affected regions like Kumamoto, Japan showed over 80 percent of the planted seeds successfully sprouted, demonstrating the technology’s effectiveness in challenging environments.
The drones operate in coordinated swarms, allowing them to cover large areas efficiently. When a drone identifies suitable planting locations, it fires the seed pods into the ground at high speed, reports Japan Daily.
Each pod begins germinating inside its protective casing, which provides nutrients and creates favorable conditions for growth before breaking down naturally. The technology was developed by MORFO, a company focused on reforestation solutions.
The innovation comes as global forests continue to shrink, with billions of trees lost each year to deforestation, wildfires, and development. Penn State research has documented the scale of forest loss worldwide.
The drone system’s speed advantage could prove crucial for large-scale reforestation efforts, particularly in remote or difficult-to-access areas where manual planting is impractical. Al Jazeera has also covered similar seed pod technologies being deployed in reforestation projects.
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