Satellite Based Bark Beetle Infestation Detection - Phase 2

Forests in Germany are under severe threat from bark beetles as a result of storms, extreme drought and high heat. The current practice of tracking infestation sites by means of search trips is time-consuming and often comes too late to prevent the devaluation of affected stands.
As an alternative to this practice, Unique was commissioned to develop a new method for a large-scale infestation detection. Using daily available satellite imagery, infested spots were mapped in a 7- to 10-days cycle. This enabled “guided search trips” for a fast and efficient removal of infested trees. Unique developed and tested the damage detector and was involved in the systematic verification in the field.