Evaluation of Early Bark Beetle Infestation Localization by Drone-Based Monoterpene Detection

Abstract

The project PROTECT^FOREST deals with improvements in early bark beetle (e.g., Ips typographus and Pityogenes chalcographus) detection to allow for fast and effective response to initial infestation. The removal of trees in the early infestation stage can prohibit bark beetle population gradation and successive timber price decrease. A semiconductor gas sensor array was tested in the lab and attached to a drone under artificial and real-life field conditions. The sensor array was able to differentiate between α-pinene amounts and between different temperatures under lab conditions. In the field, the sensor responded to a strong artificial α-pinene source. The real-life field trial above a spruce forest showed preliminary results, as technical and environmental conditions compromised a proof of principle. Further research will evaluate the detection rate of infested trees for the new proposed sensor concept.