Timber is a major industry in both United States and Canada, and there are approximately 750 million acres of land covered by forests in the US alone. About two-thirds of this area is considered timberland and is capable of being used for producing marketable timber.

Timber companies rely on forest surveys to measure, analyze, and take inventory of forest areas and timber. Managing this land can be time-consuming, and performing accurate surveys can be a challenge and often takes several days to complete. Additionally, timber surveyors may have trouble traversing densely vegetated areas, contributing to the time required to complete surveys.

Photogrammetry completely revolutionizes the way timber companies manage timberland and timber operations. Many timber companies have shifted toward using photogrammetry with drone imagery. This allows them to gather more accurate data from detailed images of forests from above without having to spend days trying to map and inspect the forest on foot.

Summit Evolution by DAT/EM Systems International is a photogrammetric software tool that takes 2D overlapping images, like those collected from drones, and creates a stereo view and allows 3D vectors to be digitized. It does this through stereoscopic imaging, which uses two overlapping, slightly offset images to measure heights and create photogrammetric maps in three dimensions. Here are five ways our Summit Evolution photogrammetry workflow helps timber companies across the world.

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1. Taking Stockpile Inventory

After a timber company cuts down trees, the wood’s moisture content is often too high for immediate use and needs to go through a stickering and drying process. It takes approximately a year for this wood to air dry enough to use for lumber. This wood is typically taken to an air-drying yard, where it sits until it is ready for commercial use.

Without photogrammetry, the traditional process for measuring these stockpiles and getting estimates on how much this inventory is worth involved manually taking measurements of each stockpile. Now, timber companies can fly a drone over the yard and gather images in a short time period, typically less than an hour. These images can then be captured in Summit Evolution and easily interpreted to measure stockpiles on screen. This allows timber companies to get a clear picture of how much usable wood they have on hand and to make financial projections. 

2. Providing Tree Counts

Another essential function Summit Evolution helps timber companies with is taking inventory of living trees. Just like timber companies used to have to rely on measuring tape to measure and take inventory of stockpiles, the forestry industry used to rely on surveyors physically going into forests, counting trees, and using formulas to estimate how many trees are in an area.

With drone imagery and photogrammetry, it’s possible to acquire overhead photos of the forest compartment, including dense or hard-to-access areas to get more accurate tree counts. It’s also possible to detect the height and size of trees and even identify and count different species of trees. This allows timber companies to analyze forest growth rates and estimate profits.

3. Assess Timber Health and Disease

Large populations of trees can become infected or unhealthy due to natural causes and sometimes need intervention to prevent widespread death. Timber companies gather information on the health of trees to address any potential issues and assess any loss. For instance, photogrammetry can be used to map invasive species or track pest infestations and disease by categorizing trees into healthy, infested, and dead populations.

Having this information on hand allows timber companies to preserve tree life and minimize losses by helping support stable growth. This technology also helps monitor new seed growth and gives companies insight into when to spray or interplant to help tree populations flourish.

4. Prevent Forest Fires and Analyze Damage

In the case of flooding or forest fires, Summit Evolution can help create models that show how much area of tree life was lost. During a fire event, drones can help collect imagery at the scene to help fire crews evaluate the severity and predict likely fire paths.

This technology can also assist with fire management by analyzing fuel density, inspecting power lines and towers, and creating predictive models by comparing wildfire data each year. Photogrammetry can show areas with dense brush and vegetation. With this information, it’s possible to administer prescribed burning to clear up underbrush to help stop the spread of forest fires.

5. Plan Roads and Infrastructure

Logging companies depend on forest roads to access timber and transport it. Photogrammetry can help timber companies map out the best pathways for roads and other infrastructure.

A lot of research is needed for the road planning process, and 3D maps that reveal the topography of the land and tree dispersion can help companies identify the best route. If you add LiDAR data and LandScape (DAT/EM’s point editing and classification tool) to Summit, you have an even more productive set of tools to generate a viable surface model.

Drone Imagery and Photogrammetric Software: The Future of the Timber Industry

Until recently, the timber industry relied heavily on human effort and manual land surveying to efficiently and sustainably choose and process wood. A certain level of guesswork or uncertainty was unavoidable with these methods, making it difficult for companies to confidently predict profit and to be proactive in avoiding issues.

Drones and photogrammetry technology have completely revolutionized the timber industry. With drones, it’s no longer necessary to manually count trees, measure stockpiles, and analyze tree health. And companies can gather enough research to help prevent fires and strategically plan roads and infrastructure.

Summit Evolution Key Features

Summit Evolution is the best photogrammetric software out there for timber companies who need to make 3D vectors from stereo images. It works with the software you use most, including AutoCAD®, MicroStation®, ArcGIS® or Global Mapper®. With Summit Evolution’s user-friendly interface, you can easily complete your photogrammetry projects and maximize productivity. The top features of this cutting-edge photogrammetric workstation include:

• Unlimited zoom levels
• Fast pan and automatic loading of adjacent stereo models
• Manual and automatic image orientation capabilities
• 3D vector digitization with DAT/EM Capture
• Terrain visualizer tool
• Point Translator for importing, regridding, and converting point data
• Multiple view points, including bird’s eye, close up, and project overview
• Compatibility with monochromatic, panchromatic, three-, and multi-channel multispectral imagery
• Compatibility with a wide range of imagery types, including scanned and digital aerial imagery, satellite images, LiDAR data, close-range images, and more

Schedule a Free Demo

Summit Evolution comes in four licensing levels, including Professional, Feature Collection, Lite, and Summit UAS. This allows you to choose the option that makes the most sense for your business’s photogrammetric needs and budget. If you’re not sure which option is best for your requirements, our sales team can help you navigate our products.

We also offer a 30-day free trial of our software so you can try out Summit Evolution for yourself and make sure it’s the right fit. We’re always open to answer any questions you may have and frequently release software updates to ensure our clients are getting the best the industry has to offer.

Ready to modernize your timber company’s operations? Book your free Summit Evolution demo today!