Short Communication. Using high resolution UAV imagery to estimate tree variables in Pinus pinea plantation in Portugal

  • Juan Guerra Hernandez Centro de Estudos Florestais (CEF), Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto Superior de Agronomía (ISA), Tapada da Ajuda, Lisboa. http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3518-2978
  • Eduardo Gonzalez-Ferreiro Grupo de Xestíon Forestal Sostible (GI-1837-UXFS). Departamento de Enxeñería Agroforestal, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Escola Politécnica Superior, R/ Benigno Ledo, Campus Universitario, Lugo.
  • Alexandre Sarmento Terradrone. INOVISA - Pólo 1 Sala 8, Tapada da Ajuda, Lisboa.
  • João Silva Centro de Estudos Florestais (CEF), Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto Superior de Agronomía (ISA), Tapada da Ajuda, Lisboa.
  • Alexandra Nunes Centro de Estudos Florestais (CEF), Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto Superior de Agronomía (ISA), Tapada da Ajuda, Lisboa.
  • Alexandra Cristina Correia Centro de Estudos Florestais (CEF), Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto Superior de Agronomía (ISA), Tapada da Ajuda, Lisboa.
  • Luis Fontes Centro de Estudos Florestais (CEF), Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto Superior de Agronomía (ISA), Tapada da Ajuda, Lisboa.
  • Margarida Tomé Centro de Estudos Florestais (CEF), Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto Superior de Agronomía (ISA), Tapada da Ajuda, Lisboa.
  • Ramon Diaz-Varela Grupo de Biodiversidade e Botánica Aplicada (GI-1809-BIOAPLIC). Departamento de Botánica, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Escola Politécnica Superior, R/ Benigno Ledo, S/N Campus Universitario, Lugo.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5424/fs/2016252-08895
Keywords: Unmanned aerial systems (UAS), forest inventory, tree crown variables, 3D image modelling, canopy height model (CHM), object‑based image analysis (OBIA), structure‑from‑motion (SfM)

Abstract

Aim of study: The study aims to analyse the potential use of low‑cost unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imagery for the estimation of Pinus pinea L. variables at the individual tree level (position, tree height and crown diameter).

Area of study: This study was conducted under the PINEA project focused on 16 ha of umbrella pine afforestation (Portugal) subjected to different treatments.

Material and methods: The workflow involved: a) image acquisition with consumer‑grade cameras on board an UAV; b) orthomosaic and digital surface model (DSM) generation using structure-from-motion (SfM) image reconstruction; and c) automatic individual tree segmentation by using a mixed pixel‑ and region‑based based algorithm.

Main results: The results of individual tree segmentation (position, height and crown diameter) were validated using field measurements from 3 inventory plots in the study area. All the trees of the plots were correctly detected. The RMSE values for the predicted heights and crown widths were 0.45 m and 0.63 m, respectively.

Research highlights: The results demonstrate that tree variables can be automatically extracted from high resolution imagery. We highlight the use of UAV systems as a fast, reliable and cost‑effective technique for small scale applications.

Keywords: Unmanned aerial systems (UAS); forest inventory; tree crown variables; 3D image modelling; canopy height model (CHM); object‑based image analysis (OBIA), structure‑from‑motion (SfM).

 

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Author Biographies

Juan Guerra Hernandez, Centro de Estudos Florestais (CEF), Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto Superior de Agronomía (ISA), Tapada da Ajuda, Lisboa.

Departamento de Recursos Naturais, Ambiente e Territorio

 

Eduardo Gonzalez-Ferreiro, Grupo de Xestíon Forestal Sostible (GI-1837-UXFS). Departamento de Enxeñería Agroforestal, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Escola Politécnica Superior, R/ Benigno Ledo, Campus Universitario, Lugo.

Sustainable Forest Management Unit (GI‑1837‑UXFS). Department of Agroforestry Engineering

Postdoctoral Student

João Silva, Centro de Estudos Florestais (CEF), Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto Superior de Agronomía (ISA), Tapada da Ajuda, Lisboa.

Departamento de Recursos Naturais, Ambiente e Território

Phd Student

Alexandra Nunes, Centro de Estudos Florestais (CEF), Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto Superior de Agronomía (ISA), Tapada da Ajuda, Lisboa.

Departamento de Recursos Naturais, Ambiente e Território

Research fellow

Alexandra Cristina Correia, Centro de Estudos Florestais (CEF), Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto Superior de Agronomía (ISA), Tapada da Ajuda, Lisboa.

Departamento de Recursos Naturais, Ambiente e Território

Postdoct student

Luis Fontes, Centro de Estudos Florestais (CEF), Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto Superior de Agronomía (ISA), Tapada da Ajuda, Lisboa.

Departamento de Recursos Naturais, Ambiente e Território

Postdoct student

Margarida Tomé, Centro de Estudos Florestais (CEF), Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto Superior de Agronomía (ISA), Tapada da Ajuda, Lisboa.

Departamento de Recursos Naturais, Ambiente e Território

Full Professor

Ramon Diaz-Varela, Grupo de Biodiversidade e Botánica Aplicada (GI-1809-BIOAPLIC). Departamento de Botánica, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Escola Politécnica Superior, R/ Benigno Ledo, S/N Campus Universitario, Lugo.

Biodiversity and Applied Botany Unit (GI‑BIOAPLIC‑1809). Departament of Botany.

Associate Professor

References

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Published
2016-07-20
How to Cite
Hernandez, J. G., Gonzalez-Ferreiro, E., Sarmento, A., Silva, J., Nunes, A., Correia, A. C., Fontes, L., Tomé, M., & Diaz-Varela, R. (2016). Short Communication. Using high resolution UAV imagery to estimate tree variables in Pinus pinea plantation in Portugal. Forest Systems, 25(2), eSC09. https://doi.org/10.5424/fs/2016252-08895
Issue
Vol. 25 No. 2 (2016)
Section
FORESTERRA

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