By Beta Via
How integrated Earth observation supports early detection of forest stress within the ICAERUS Forestry and Biodiversity Use Case
Forests across Europe are increasingly exposed to climate-related pressures, pests, and emerging diseases. Detecting early signs of stress has become essential for preventing large-scale damage and ensuring long-term ecosystem resilience. Traditional monitoring methods, which rely primarily on field inspections, often detect problems only after visible symptoms appear across significant forest areas.
Within the ICAERUS project, the Forestry and Biodiversity Use Case explores how advanced Earth observation technologies can help identify early indicators of forest stress. By combining satellite-based monitoring with high-resolution UAV hyperspectral sensing, the approach enables both large-scale screening and tree-level diagnostics.
Beta Via contributes expertise in UAV data acquisition, hyperspectral imaging, and geospatial analysis to support the development of this integrated monitoring workflow.
The monitoring process begins with a landscape-level assessment using Sentinel-2 satellite imagery. Satellite observations provide consistent and frequent coverage across extensive forest regions, allowing analysts to track vegetation conditions over time.
Using time series analysis of vegetation indices such as NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), MSI (Moisture Stress Index) and others, subtle changes in canopy reflectance can be identified. These changes may indicate early signs of stress related to drought, pest activity, disease, or nutrient imbalance.
Importantly, these spectral signals can appear before visible symptoms become noticeable in the field. By identifying anomalies across large forest areas, satellite data helps highlight zones where forest conditions may be deteriorating.
This initial screening stage enables forest managers to focus monitoring efforts on specific locations where further investigation is required.
UAV Hyperspectral Monitoring for Detailed Diagnostics
Once potentially affected areas are identified through satellite analysis, the monitoring workflow moves to a higher-resolution inspection stage.
A multirotor UAV equipped with a hyperspectral camera is deployed to collect detailed spectral imagery at approximately 5 cm spatial resolution. This high level of detail allows individual tree crowns to be delineated and analysed separately.
Hyperspectral sensors capture information across a broad electromagnetic spectrum using numerous narrow spectral bands. This rich spectral information enables the detection of physiological and biochemical changes in vegetation that may not yet be visible to the human eye.
Through hyperspectral analysis, it becomes possible to identify indicators such as:
- changes in leaf pigment composition
- early discoloration patterns
- moisture stress
- nutrient deficiencies
- symptoms associated with disease development
This level of detailed monitoring enables earlier identification of forest health issues compared to conventional observation methods.
Integrating Data for Early Detection
A central objective of the ICAERUS Forestry and Biodiversity Use Case is to develop a comprehensive methodology that integrates multiple layers of Earth observation data.
Satellite imagery provides wide-area coverage and enables efficient identification of potential stress zones. UAV hyperspectral sensing then delivers high-resolution diagnostics that allow individual tree conditions to be assessed in detail.
Analytical algorithms developed within the project aim to interpret spectral signatures associated with different types of stress. By combining satellite time series data with hyperspectral measurements, the monitoring system can detect patterns, track changes over time, and improve the accuracy of forest health assessments.
This integrated workflow transforms raw remote sensing data into actionable insights that can support decision-making for forest managers.
Supporting Adaptive Forest Management
Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of environmental stress factors affecting forests, including prolonged droughts, extreme temperatures, and pest outbreaks. Early detection of stress indicators is therefore critical for preventing small disturbances from escalating into large-scale forest degradation.
The integrated monitoring approach developed within ICAERUS demonstrates how satellite and UAV technologies can complement each other to provide both a regional overview and tree-level analysis. This multi-layered system allows earlier interventions, more efficient resource allocation, and improved understanding of forest dynamics.
Through its work in UAV hyperspectral data collection and geospatial analysis, Beta Via contributes to advancing innovative monitoring solutions that support more adaptive and resilient forest management practices.
