ERA invests $1.8 million in drone reforestation technology pilot project

Utilizing drone reforestation technology, Flash Forest is changing the way companies plant trees in areas that were damaged by forest fires or previously harvested. The company uses unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), hardware, aerial mapping software, automation and biological seed pod technology to reforest areas from the air. Flash Forest’s technology not only helps make tree planting more efficient, it also makes it easier to plant trees in difficult to reach areas and dangerous environments. Using a seed firing device attached to its drones, Flash Forest’s innovative technology allows the company to plant seed pods at an interval of one pod, per second, per drone. Flash Forest’s botanical teams are also working on rapid germination and enhanced stress tolerance for its seed pods to ensure the trees have the best possible chance to grow. ERA has committed $1.8 million to the $5.5 million project through its Food, Farming and Forestry Challenge, which provided $33 million to 17 projects worth a combined value of $107 million.