A new forestry programme integrating the use of space assets is revolutionising the way that logging operations are carried out in Poland. The service, developed by Krakow-based company, SmallGIS, with the support of ESA’s Business Applications programme, is helping forestry make the switch to remote sensing technologies.

In the last few years forest regulation in Poland has remained focused on the use of field measurement methods. Logging plans have been labour-intensive revolving around lengthy field work – walking through target areas and evaluating timber stock and laboriously defining logging site boundaries.

SmallGIS’s goal for the forest community was to provide a modern web-based platform that provided fast and relevant access to data such as maps, images and analyses for authorised forest users – as an effective cost and time saving tool to support the logging plans management operations.

Working with ESA, SmallGIS has developed TIKKA, a service based on state-of-the-art remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) methods. TIKKA provides timely andaccurate geo-referenced information about the forest environment and its surrounding topography. It helps rapidly identify the most economically valuable areas of timberland and to devise detailed logging plans – with data accessible via a web portal.

The technology behind TIKKA involves a combination of remote sensing – SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar), LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging – a remote sensing method that uses a pulsed laser to generate precise, 3D information) Earth Observation (EO), and GNSS to create a comprehensive service that replaces the long and expensive field inspections.

Piera di Vito, Technical Officer of the project at ESA explains: “LiDAR with its field map databases and spatial datasets of environmental and ecological information, provides an optimal means to obtain baseline forest inventory information on tree height, tree diameter and stem volume.“This baseline can be used to produce a highly accurate and detailed Digital Terrain Model and timber inventory which is complemented by space-borne data (spectral or Very High Resolution imagery) to keep it current and provide more detail such as the tree species or broadleaf versus conifer, for example.”

Maps generated by the service can be used for navigation in the forest, for finding harvestable timber and to plan forest thinning work and delineating the logging area.

“A pilot demonstration was supported and validated by representatives of the Regional State Forest in Szczecin. They found a reduction in costs for preparing the logging plan as well as an improvement of the current quality level of logging plans. They are also delighted that users could access this information in their own GIS system without the need of additional IT projects,”says Bartosz Kulawik, Project Manager, SmallGIS.

Trading in-field measurement for remote sensing technologies

Today, as a result of TIKKA and its potential success nationally, the Polish forestry regulations – which have not been revised since the 1960s – will take into account the opportunity to exploit modern technologies.

“The coming years will bring deregulation and changing of forest law – more advanced technologies will be recommended and may even become obligatory. The main players that form the target users of this service already exist and already have the necessary GIS tools in place,” says Bartosz Kulawik, Project Manager, SmallGIS.

 “When we started with first project, we had two people working in remote sensing. Now we have more than ten! Business Applications gave us the template and encouraged us to think about implementation. Before that we were just focusing on the technical side – ESA helped us make a business plan, to finish the product and market it.”

TIKKA technology is now also being used to fight forest fires – see article

Enrique Medina (CEO) and Héctor Puago (CTO) started their company CEDRION in February 2017. The pair developed a new technology cooling electronics which was superior to current technologies – lightweight and without moving parts. Passionate about developing this technology they presented the project to the ESA BIC Community of Madrid and were selected. 

The technical support mentoring by the ESA electronics laboratory enabled them to create a CEDRION converter, which increases the performance of commercial systems from 50% to more than 96% - at almost a tenth of the cost.

CEDRION’s devices are based on the Corona effect which they use to generate plasma at room temperature and direct a fluid. The technology was patented in 2018 and extended to PCT (Patent Cooperation Treaty) in April 2019. Atmospheric plasma or cold plasma is one of the most promising technologies in fields as diverse as aerodynamics, antimicrobial resistance or cancer treatment.

Airbus adopt the cool technology

CEDRION use this technology to cool drone electronics, engines and internal electronics – technology which has now been adopted by the Airbus BizLab (the Aerospace Accelerator) for aeronautical systems, assisting in the concept and development of electric (and therefore less polluting) aircraft. 

“As the aerospace market grows one of the biggest challenges is to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Our technology will help to achieve the dream of zero-emission aircraft. It is really an achievement to have attracted the  attention of Airbus… for a start-up with an aerospace vocation they are the main company.”  Enrique Medina, CEO CEDRION

CEDRION participated in the ESA BIC Community of Madrid programme because they had a strong belief that their project was in line with the level of quality needed to qualify for incubation. “We were looking for both technological and business support – and the result has been enormously satisfying,” says Enrique.  

When asked what his advice would be to other start-ups he says “Seize the opportunity!  This program is one of the best in the sector and is definitely worth the preparation. Even if you are not selected, the feedback will give invaluable insights into your business model.”

See the complete article in Spanish on the madri+d Knowledge Foundation web site