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Drones in Uttarakhand

April 25, 2017 | Expert Insights

The Uttarakhand Forest Department has deployed three drones for monitoring forest fire in thr region. This is the first time that drones are have been installed to monitor forest fires. It is already in use to wildlife conservation for nest status, aviation ethology, crocodile and water birds counting and monitoring.

Forest fire in Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand is known for human-induced forest fires for a long time. In 2016, the pine forests of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh caught fire. Most of the fires in Uttarakhand happen in the Chir pine (Pinus Rroxburghii) forests because the leaves of this conifer tree catch fire easily. The forest fires in Uttarakhand have been predominantly intentional for the purpose of collection of forest resources such as resin, Sal seeds, honey, timber etc. To collect resin easily, the surface fires are lit so that pine needles can be removed.

Why does Uttarakhand need drones?

In India, Uttarakhand faces maximum incidents of forest fires. In 2016, about 2,000 incidents of forest fires destroyed 4,500 hectares of forest land in Uttarakhand. 71% of the total land is under forest cover. Thus, real time monitoring of forest fires is needed prevent the spread of forest fire. Though, the Forest Department employs both traditional and modern methods with the help of satellite images, it is difficult to know about the forest fire in the Terai and Bhabar regions. The Terai region consists of fertile lowlands of the southern Himalayan, Shivalik foothills and north of Indo-Gangetic plains and the Bhabar region runs parallel to the north side of Terai. Hence to counter such forest fire accidents two 'Mavic Pro' drones, with capability of flight elevation of more than 16,000 feet and flight time of 21 minutes, have been deployed. They can fly at a speed of 65 km/hour and are equipped with forward and downward vision system, which enable them to provide maximum visibility in time to deal with forest fire incidents

Assessment

Many forest communities occupy large, sparsely populated areas, so the ground surveys carried out during conventional community-based monitoring can be time consuming, expensive, dangerous and logistically difficult. Further, while ground surveys can yield a huge amount of data on biodiversity, they are less efficient at collecting information on irregular and subtle processes of forest degradation, and it can take time for monitors to reach and assess deforested areas. As of the start of 2016, monitoring with drones is in its infancy, consistent and conclusive results are yet to be obtained, although some early results have been encouraging. If used appropriately and combined with ground surveys and local knowledge, drones can constitute a valuable tool in monitoring, researching and mapping forests, as well as act as a deterrent to those who encroach on protected areas and indigenous lands such as illegal poachers, cattle ranchers, loggers and miners. Thus the drones could also monitor tiger reserves of the country and mark a beginning to the technological intervention in biodiversity conservation.it would also check deforestation which is one of the major concern in India. Also, drones would enhance the local knowledge of forest leading to effective forest management which is needed in India for forest conservation. Moreover, drones are cost effective and easy to use and easy to use that reduce the cost of training. However, the use of drones has to monitored effectively so that it does not lead conflict or cases of spying.