In an effort to help conserve the ecosystem and imperiled species such as the sage-grouse, a company called DroneSeed that restores forests and rangelands using drone swarms has signed a contract with the Nature Conservancy Oregon to use drone swarms to restore rangelands affected by invasive species and re-seed native plants.

By partnering with DroneSeed, the Nature Conservancy will have access to UAS swarm technology designed to scale to plant and protect significant acreage while planting in precision areas to boost survival rates.

“The Nature Conservancy is an ideal partner for us as we're highly aligned on mission and are both engaged in developing and advancing technology solutions for conservation outcomes,” explains DroneSeed's CEO and founder Grant Canary. “Our objective with this project is to test and demonstrate that this innovative approach can achieve successful restoration faster and more efficiently than conventional methods.”

DroneSeed’s aircraft operate in swarms of up to five UAS and as a group service greater area faster despite terrain. DroneSeed provides precision seeding using software to aerially deploy seed vessels to targeted areas, called microsites, where they'll grow best.

DroneSeed's heavy lift UAS carry 57 pounds of seed vessels per drone, allowing the company to service significant acreage. By reducing desiccation or "drying up," which is a common issue on arid rangelands, these vessels ultimately improve seed survival, the entities note.

With this in mind, DroneSeed, which is the first and only company approved by the FAA to operate with swarms of up to five aircraft weighing more than 55 pounds, will aerially deploy its own proprietary seed vessels and vessels developed by the Nature Conservancy and its partners.

“Working with research partners, we have been testing a variety of high-tech solutions for restoration seeding,” says Jay Kerby, Southeast Oregon project manager at The Nature Conservancy. “We're excited to get some first-hand experience with the new options that drones could provide, such as improved precision of mapping and seeding priority treatment areas.”

DroneSeed notes that its technology has a number of applications for industry post-wildfire. Recently, DroneSeed completed its first post-fire forestry project for a top five timber company in the U.S. that was impacted by the Grave Creek Fire near Medford, Oregon, which burned over 7,000 acres.

Instead of planting seedlings that require a two-year wait to grow in greenhouses, the company decided to immediately plant with DroneSeed's seed vessels and reduce later vegetation clearing costs.