The Future of Forestry

Autonomous planting machine for optimal plant survival

bd+briefcase

Södra Skogsägarna

3D visualization showing the Planting Robot while its driving on stones and moss.

Hand that has picked up a tree plant from an asphalted ground. On the ground where the hand picked up the plant, there are several plants standing in a row.

Innovation for a new generation of trees

Forests are still planted today much as they have always been. Machines till the soil, creating long furrows with unnecessary ground damage, followed by manual planting of seedlings. Unfortunately, many of these seedlings perish within the first year. To improve survival rates, we're collaborating with Södra Skogsägarna to develop a more sustainable planting method using new technology.

Our vision is a robot that precisely locates and prepares the soil in the optimal planting spot, then places the seedling at the correct depth. This approach creates the best conditions for a thriving forest and makes forestry work easier and more enjoyable.

Finger that points at a printed sketch of the planting robot that lies on the physical robot's tire.

Planting machine with eyes and ears

The forest is a delicate environment with many different living organisms interacting within it. It's also a varied landscape, with hills, logs, and stones. Applying technology such as autonomous vehicles here, while minimizing disturbance to the ecosystem, is a challenge that hasn't been tackled before.

With the assistance of AI and sensors, the machine navigates through diverse conditions consistently, efficiently, and precisely. Additionally, by recording precise coordinates for each plant, we're building a knowledge base for the future.

Two people in reflective vests standing in front of the planting robot in the forest.

Side by side

Side by side in the forest, the machine and the operator work together. But who does what, and who else wants to be involved? This opens up the opportunity for forest owners to plan and monitor planting in real-time. Our task is to ensure that the operator can intuitively and easily guide and plan the robot's work.

Subsequently, we design and integrate the various digital interfaces into a seamless experience for the operator and other users. We also enrich the robot's brain and senses by developing a route planner. Using terrain data, a proposal for the optimal route can be generated to minimize fuel consumption, reduce ground damage, and protect natural and cultural heritage sites.

Realistic visualization of the planting robot as it drives over moss and stones.

Five people standing under a sun tent in the forest. To the right of the tent stands a planting robot.

Facts about the project BraSatt

Södra Skogsägarna, Boid, and 6 other partners are developing a prototype machine to be tested in the field during the 2023 planting season. Boid's role in the project is to create a vision for the user experience, both for the forest owner and the operator, a route planner, to develop digital interfaces for the machine, and to design the machine's industrial design. But the results of the project are more than just a robot: BraSatt is an innovation project that makes a lot of new technology available for the future of forestry.

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