Updates from the field: OptiForValue Drone campaigns

In July 2026, researchers from Linnaeus University worked with local partners to carry out coordinated drone surveys across OptiForValue’s Case Study Sites in Austria, Spain, Finland and Sweden. The campaign brought together experts Johan Fransson, Klaudia Solska and Basam Dahy, who used advanced drone technology to collect detailed information about forests under different environmental and management conditions. This was the second coordinated drone campaign carried out as part of OptiMonitor.

Combining LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), multispectral and hyperspectral observations provides complementary information on forest structure and vegetation condition, while repeated measurements across the Case Study Sites supports comparisons between different forest environments and management conditions. The information gathered will help the researchers develop remote-sensing based Early Warning Indicators (EWIs) for detecting changes in forest condition and stress. Earlier detection of declining forest conditions could support more informed forest management decisions and help improve the resilience of forests facing increasing environmental stress.

Data collected during the campaigns is currently being organised and processed and will contribute to the wider OptiForValue monitoring and research activities across the other work packages, including the assessment of fire risk, early detection of spruce bark beetle infestations, and snow damage.

The drone campaigns are a key part of OptiForValue’s mission to help forest owners and managers make better, data-driven decisions. By improving the ability to detect stress, monitor forest condition and assess wood quality, the project is developing tools and knowledge that support more resilient forests and more sustainable forest value chains across Europe.