On November 28, 2024, a round table titled "Innovation in AAS Application Area in Forestry" took place at the University of Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing (FER). Organized by Innovation Center Nikola Tesla (ICENT) and FER, the event brought together experts and AeroSTREAM project partners to discuss advancements and challenges in the use of Autonomous Aerial Systems (AAS) in forestry.
Moderated by Prof. Tamara Petrovic (FER), the panel featured leading researchers: Prof. Renata Pernar (University of Zagreb), Prof. Admir Avdagić (University of Sarajevo), and Dr. Ivan Balenović (Croatian Forest Research Institute). Discussions focused on the current state, limitations, and future directions for AAS technology in forestry.
Key insights included the need for a shift towards fully autonomous systems, improvements in sensor technology for obstacle detection, and integrating AAS data with traditional forestry methods. Panelists also called for modernization of outdated forest monitoring policies to match the pace of environmental changes and technological capabilities.
The round table gathered 12 participants, including AeroSTREAM partners from various Croatian higher education institutions, highlighting a strong collaborative effort toward innovation in sustainable forestry practices.