Chinese Drones Are Spreading Hope for Australia's Ecological Recovery

Guangzhou Jifei technology co., LTD. (hereinafter referred to as "Jifei technology") recently joined hands with the Australian non-profit organization "the highbury area land conservation network" to help restore the local ecosystem damaged by forest fires.

In the lake cobrico wildlife reserve in southeast Victoria, three agricultural drones of gefeike technology follow the established routes and go deep into the remote areas damaged by forest fires, scattering grass seeds in the bare soil and sparse vegetation area with precision and uniformity. The project is the first in Australia's history to restore forest ecosystems through the widespread seeding of grass by drones.

In just two days, three drones completed the hybrid planting mission of 40 hectares of the quagmire. Next, technicians will closely monitor and assess the growth of vegetation after the drone seeding and compare it with areas where the vegetation has naturally regenerated.

Paul hatrick, the project's director, told Xinhua that the highbury area was hit by a severe forest fire in 2018. "Two years later, we are still trying to restore the ecosystem, and the peat bogs in the lake cobrico may take longer to recover."

He says the extent of damage to the marshes varies by region. In some areas, forest fires have been burning combustible peat up to a meter underground, causing the ground to collapse or nothing to grow. Ecosystems in these areas cannot regenerate naturally and require manual intervention to restore them.

While reconstruction is urgently needed, it is difficult for traditional ground workers and equipment to access the area. After researching the project, hartlek decided to try to bring in drones to help the region recover, an idea supported by Victoria's department of environment, land, water and planning. China's jifei technology emerged as the chosen partner to implement the plan.

According to a fly technology, co-founder of gong based qin, compared with the traditional planting mode, drone planting has many advantages.

"We use remote sensing drones to measure at high altitude which areas need to be replanted and which do not, and finally generate a ''prescription map''. Then the drone takes off with the seeds and goes to the designated area to plant the seeds." Gong based qin said.

Gong based Qin thought, and artificial compared, tractors, helicopters and other planting methods, the process is very efficient and cost is low, not caused by man-made destruction and pollution to the environment.

While not new, drones are currently of relatively limited use in Australia, Mr. Hatrick said. As Australia's wildfires become more frequent, "drones can play a bigger role in environmental management and rehabilitation, such as weed management, pest control, precision agriculture," he said.

Jeff Rawlinson, co-ordinator of the highbury area land conservation network, said he hoped the lake cobrico area would be revitalised by the completion of the innovative aerial seeding.

"Hopefully the vegetation will regenerate and attract more birds and wildlife to live in the area and hopefully provide them with food and shelter." Rawlinson is hopeful about the prospects for ecological restoration in the lake cobrico area.