Brown agrees that DJI drone products are the best on the market. “When it comes to using drones for business, DJI was and still is the product of choice,” he explains. “The cameras are pretty good, which helps with mapping and management planning.” DJI, a Chinese company, dominates the drone market. Commanding an as- tounding 80% of the American market and 60% of the global market, it’s easy to see that DJI is a popular choice. The USDA Forest Service uses a wide range of drones to conduct its work. These range from small, foldable de- vices used to conduct assessments or measure hot spots during wildfires to larger versions with payloads that can carry up to 35 pounds. These are used to carry the chemicals needed to con- duct prescribed burns. DRONE ADD-ONS In addition to the drone, specialized technology and soware can be pur- chased to enhance its capabilities. If not already equipped, a high-defi- nition camera, like a Go-Pro, will be needed for capturing aerial imagery. “The newer DJI Air 2S drone does most of what I need it to,” says Brown. “The Air 2S or the mini drones, can maneu- ver around limbs and trees and oen Drone Terminology
are equipped with high-quality camer- as. So, you’ll either need to buy a cam- era drone or buy the drone and mount a camera to it.” The Parrot Sequoia multispectral cam- era is a top-notch option for drones, ac- cording to Henry. This type of camera is useful for capturing different bands of the light spectrum that the human eye can’t see. “This specialized camera is worth more than two or three drones put together,” says Henry. “It’s expensive, but it takes multispectral shots, taking five or more pictures at a time, and is compatible with all types of drones.” The USDA uses multispectral cameras to detect vegetation health. It also uses light detection and ranging cameras (LiDAR) to measure forests. “It’s an active sensor used to measure things in 3D to collect high-resolution data for the area we are modeling,” says Adam Clark, a remote sensing specialist at the USDA’s Geospatial Technology and Application Center. While helicopters usually conducted LiDAR work, drones have slowly taken over this task. To operate a drone, a remote control is also needed.
tilt, digital zoom, longer battery life, and obstacle sensors with automatic braking, great for avoiding limbs and reducing crashes. At a price of around $1,000, the DJI Mini 4 Pro is great for quick tree assessments, aerial imagery for mapping and survey- ing, and simple, quick video and image capture for consulting services, manage- ment planning, and marketing. For larger commercial businesses, or for those looking to take on projects that require a more durable drone, Henry recommends the DJI Matrice 350 RTK . “The DJI Matrice is used for larger proj- ects such as spraying, insect releases, pruning and even sampling for disease and pests,” says Henry. “It’s a bit more expensive than others ... but it is capa- ble of liing heavier items and you can add additional controls to it.” A heier investment at around $12,000, the Matrice can reach speeds up to 50 mph and can be used to li items up to six pounds. This can include tanks of pesticides for spraying, boxes of predator bugs for release, and equipment for pruning trees. With more bells and whistles, this drone is also capable of taking samples from trees for disease and pest assessments. DJI’s Matrice 350 RTK can operate in temperatures ranging from -4° to 122°F and can carry a payload of up to six pounds.
Gimbal Where the camera sits on the drone GIS (geographic information system) A system that creates, analyzes, and maps data Photogrammetry A method of mapping and surveying to stitch photographs togeth- er to create one large image Trim The buttons on the remote control that control the drone’s movements Pitch The up and down movement from the front to the back of the drone Roll The up and down movement on the sides of the drone Yaw Rotating the drone from right to left
32 | ArborTIMES Spring 2024
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