Since achieving our CAA Part 102 certification in 2016, Interpine has led the way in safe, professional UAV operations across forestry and environmental sectors — now extended with BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) capability to reach further and operate smarter.
From supporting Fire and Emergency NZ with development of wildfire responses to working alongside Ministry of Primary Industries, Department of Conservation, forest companies, and universities / institutes of technology; our team delivers high-quality data with a strong focus on safety, training, and best practice. Our drone services are backed by deep remote sensing expertise, turning flight data into actionable insights, and innovation solutions.
We’re also proud contributors to industry initiatives like NZ Flight Advisor and Tools for Foresters, helping improve shared airspace safety and capability across the sector.
📊 Our track record:
• 2,450+ flight hours
• 34,500 km flown
• 1.6 million photos
• 4,900+ videos
Experience matters — and so does what you do with the data.
Some of our articles from our drone operations team over the years
- A Decade of Trusted Drone Operations across Aotearoa
Since achieving our CAA Part 102 certification in 2016, Interpine has led the way in safe, professional UAV operations across forestry and environmental sectors — now extended with BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) capability to reach further and operate smarter. From supporting Fire and Emergency NZ with development of wildfire responses to working alongside… Read more: A Decade of Trusted Drone Operations across Aotearoa - Surveying Whio (Blue Duck) with Drone Technology
Monitoring Whio (Blue Duck) populations in New Zealand’s remote river environments has always been a challenging task. Steep terrain, dense vegetation, and limited access often constrain traditional survey methods. At Interpine, we’re leveraging advanced drone technologies to overcome these challenges and extend the reach and effectiveness of ecological monitoring. Using our CAA Part 102 certification… Read more: Surveying Whio (Blue Duck) with Drone Technology - Power Your Forest Surveys With DJI
Interpine is pleased to offer forestry professionals a tightly integrated drone‑to‑decision solution, combining the proven performance of DJI Enterprise hardware with Virtual Plot, Interpine’s AI tree‑level forest plot level inventory and analysis software for quick decision-making stocking inventories in the field. Designed specifically for operational forestry, this combined offer enables faster data collection, improved accuracy,… Read more: Power Your Forest Surveys With DJI - Introducing Chemical Thinning (eThinning) AI in Virtual Plot – ALPHA Release
Thinning is a critical component of radiata pine forest management, improving stand growth, stability, and overall forest health. As the forestry sector continues to seek safer, more efficient, and cost‑effective approaches to thinning — particularly on steep or difficult terrain — chemical thinning (eThinning) has gained increasing attention. Recent research and operational trials have highlighted… Read more: Introducing Chemical Thinning (eThinning) AI in Virtual Plot – ALPHA Release - Analysis of LiDAR DJI L2 vs L3 LiDAR Sensors
The Interpine team currently utilises the DJI Zenmuse L3 LiDAR sensor as part of its operational drone services, reflecting a continued focus on improving data quality and operational capability. For those interested in understanding how the L3 compares with the previous generation, this analysis presents a direct comparison of LiDAR data collected over the same… Read more: Analysis of LiDAR DJI L2 vs L3 LiDAR Sensors - Extending Drone Capabilities: Interpine’s BVLOS Advantage
Beyond Line of Sight Operations Certification At Interpine Innovation, we’re proud to operate under CAA Part 102 Certification, enabling us to fly drones Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS). This capability is a game-changer for our clients and the wider forestry and environmental sectors. Why BVLOS Matters BVLOS operations allow drones to cover greater distances… Read more: Extending Drone Capabilities: Interpine’s BVLOS Advantage - Minister Profiles Drone Technology and AI for Biosecurity Success
At Interpine Innovation, we’re proud to have partnered in a groundbreaking trial that is transforming how New Zealand tackles one of its most persistent agricultural challenges: bovine tuberculosis (TB). The government recently launched a trial in Central Otago to control possum populations—the primary carriers of bovine TB—using advanced drone technology combined with AI-driven detection systems.… Read more: Minister Profiles Drone Technology and AI for Biosecurity Success - Elevating our Drone Services with DJI Zenmuse L3 LiDAR
We’re excited to announce a major leap forward for Interpine’s drone services team: the integration of the DJI Zenmuse L3 LiDAR sensor into our fleet. This upgrade represents a new era in precision forestry mapping and large-scale terrain analysis. What This Means for Our Clients? By upgrading to the DJI L3, Interpine can now deliver… Read more: Elevating our Drone Services with DJI Zenmuse L3 LiDAR - Interpine Launches TreeTools – The Future of Tree Thinning Assessment
- Transforming Stockpile Measurement
At Interpine Innovation, we’re taking stockpile management to the next level. Our advanced drone and LiDAR technology delivers accurate measurements of wood chip piles, quarry stockpiles, and more—all in record time, with same-day volume reports. Say goodbye to manual measuring and hello to smarter, safer, and more sustainable solutions. - Interpine’s DJI Matrice 400 Drone Upgrade: Smarter, Stronger, and Ready for the Skies!
We’re thrilled to announce our latest upgrade to the DJI Matrice 400 drone platform — unlocking a new era of aerial capability for forestry and environmental operations. What’s New? Longer Flight Times Capture more in a single flight with extended battery life — ideal for large-scale mapping and monitoring. Larger Scale Captures Improved payload capacity… Read more: Interpine’s DJI Matrice 400 Drone Upgrade: Smarter, Stronger, and Ready for the Skies! - Discover Our Rotorua Head Office in Stunning 3D: Unveiling the DJI Matrice 4E’s Capabilities
Explore our head office at 99 Sala Street, Rotorua, like never before with our stunning 3D model! Captured using the cutting-edge DJI Matrice 4E, this drone delivers unparalleled detail through advanced automated flight modes, photogrammetry, and 3D mesh creation. As an authorized DJI Reseller, Interpine is your go-to for drone solutions tailored to forestry, conservation,… Read more: Discover Our Rotorua Head Office in Stunning 3D: Unveiling the DJI Matrice 4E’s Capabilities - Learn to Fly and Get Certified – July Drone Course Closing Soon
In partnership with FenixUAS, Interpine is offers a comprehensive 5-day course designed to get you operational with drones. Designed for professionals you want to uptake this new technology in their daily roles. This course is perfect for anyone looking to harness drone technology and wants to learn the in and outs of flying your drone and… Read more: Learn to Fly and Get Certified – July Drone Course Closing Soon - Announcing Our 2025 Drone Course Dates!
We are excited to announce our 2025 drone course dates! In partnership with FenixUAS, Interpine is offering a comprehensive 5-day course designed to get you operational with drones. This course is perfect for anyone looking to harness drone technology in the forestry or natural resources industry. Course Highlights What You’ll Learn? Flexible Options: If the listed dates… Read more: Announcing Our 2025 Drone Course Dates! - Create a DTM to load into DJI Pilot App 2 Terrain Follow
More often, you are needing to conduct your flights with terrain following feature. Terrain follow is suggested for sites with varying elevations and helps to ensure a consistent ground sampling distance across the survey area. It is also needed for TreeTools VirtualPlot to ensure a consistent plot size is collected for the real-time forest inventory.… Read more: Create a DTM to load into DJI Pilot App 2 Terrain Follow - Securing the Skies: Our Drone Team’s CAA Part 102 RPAS Certification Renewed for 5 More Years
We are pleased to announce that our drone operations have successfully renewed our CAA Part 102 Certification just before Christmas 2024. This being extended the maximum allowable period of 5 years through to 2029. This achievement reaffirms our professional drone services team’s position as a leader in the sector. With over 14,383 logged flights, 1.1… Read more: Securing the Skies: Our Drone Team’s CAA Part 102 RPAS Certification Renewed for 5 More Years - Enhancing Airspace Safety with FlightAdvisor During Your Flight Operations
The success of FlightAdvisorNZ.io NZ in reducing aircraft conflicts through their low-level flight advisory service for both manned and unmanned aircraft in uncontrolled airspace in New Zealand cannot be overstated. Enhancing Airspace Safety with FlightAdvisor During Your Flight Operations Interpine has been at the forefront of utilizing FlightAdvisor (and AirShare) within the forestry sector. Even… Read more: Enhancing Airspace Safety with FlightAdvisor During Your Flight Operations - Assessing Chip Pile Volumes inside Tight Warehouses With Drones
Our Drone UAV team uses drone-based SLAM LiDAR technology that can work in GPS-denied environments to collect data and calculate product/material volumes for inventory stocktaking. Getting warehouse stockpile volumes in tight spaces and internal warehouses could never be easier. The LiDAR scanning technology also provides real-time autonomous control, allowing the drones to avoid and navigate… Read more: Assessing Chip Pile Volumes inside Tight Warehouses With Drones - Post Event Woody Debris Assessment – Cyclone Gabrielle Hawke’s Bay
The Hawkes Bay Forestry Group has released the findings of their post-Cyclone Gabrielle Woody Debris Assessment, encompassing the coastal areas and significant catchments of Hawke’s Bay. In this study, our team utilized Planet satellite data which has available within a few days of the event in conjunction with the line intersect sampling (LIS) methodology on… Read more: Post Event Woody Debris Assessment – Cyclone Gabrielle Hawke’s Bay - Drone LiDAR for Post Storm Event Recovery and Future Preparedness (Snow Avalanches in Mt Cook)
In July 2022 a winter storm dropped 550 mm of precipitation on the Southern Alps of New Zealand. This initiated large snow avalanches and a mass movement cycle of debris flows, and erosion, which was the largest observed in decades. Our drone lidar surveys were used by leading research teams to assess the rain-on-snow hazard sequence, and insights… Read more: Drone LiDAR for Post Storm Event Recovery and Future Preparedness (Snow Avalanches in Mt Cook) - Using AI for Quantifying Windthrow or Toppled Trees
Using AI to detect windthrow or toppled trees and quantify damage across a stand can allow forest managers to understand the next steps. In this example, a heatmap on the damaged windthrown stems per hectare is provided using down-tree detection using deep learning. Chat with our team about the options available. There is a range… Read more: Using AI for Quantifying Windthrow or Toppled Trees - Woody Debris and Slash Sampling Methodology Post Storm Events
Objective Quantify woody debris / slash content along the coastal, and inland catchment areas, characterizing it by woody debris source or type, volume per hectare, and the total volume accumulated. Sampling Methodology Review Line Intercept Sampling Plots Due to the nature of the debris, the Line Intercept Sampling (LIS) technique will be adapted from that… Read more: Woody Debris and Slash Sampling Methodology Post Storm Events - Enhancing Safety Outside Controlled Airspace with FlightAdvisorNZ.io
The Interpine team has recently been working with RNZAF Flight Advisor Service which has been created with NZDF and Aeropath. It is a simple way pilots can access any of our registered UAV flights simply and easily via Flight Advisor (flightadvisornz.io). Targeting operators (manned and unmanned) flying below 3,000ft AMSL or 1,000ft AGL (whichever is… Read more: Enhancing Safety Outside Controlled Airspace with FlightAdvisorNZ.io - Drone Solutions for Wildfire
Learn more about the innovation in drones and there use in wildfires with this great webinar where Interpine is presenting alongside with the DJI Enterprise team on the advancements drones and their place on the modern fire ground. - ‘Technology on Steroids’ Remote Sensing, Forest Data Capture & Inventory Management – Past, Present and Future
- Drone based LiDAR services extended with the DJI Zenmuse L1 Livox LiDAR and RGB Solution
2021 continues to be a leap forward in drone-based UAV LiDAR here at Interpine. To compliment our two Emesent Hovermap LiDAR units we have also recently purchased the DJI Zenmuse L1 LiDAR + RGB solution for the DJI Matrice 300 RTK. Simultaneous collection of high-resolution 20MP 1-inch CMOS RGB camera with Livox LiDAR module and… Read more: Drone based LiDAR services extended with the DJI Zenmuse L1 Livox LiDAR and RGB Solution - Drone based Harvesting Cutover Merchantable Volume Assessment
- Improvements in 3D Tree Segmentation using Deep Learning
A new research paper on 3D tree segmentation approaches from our collaboration work program with the University of Tasmania and ARC Training Centre for Forest Value. Great work to the project team and a special thanks to Sean Krisanski who is working towards his PhD. Check out these quick video’s reviewing the datasets used in… Read more: Improvements in 3D Tree Segmentation using Deep Learning - As built 3D Scanning for Industrial Inspection and Engineering with Hovermap LiDAR
A small snippet of an industrial engineering site scanned with our mobile laser scanner (MLS) using the Emesent Hovermap SLAM LiDAR backpack. While the unit can also be mounted to a drone, here it is being used in backpack mode allowing capture of complex structures by simply walking the unit throughout the environment you are… Read more: As built 3D Scanning for Industrial Inspection and Engineering with Hovermap LiDAR - Drone Based Ultra High Resolution Full Frame Aerial Surveying with the DJI Zenmuse P1 Sensor
To complement the drone services team we have recently purchased the DJI Zenmuse P1 Full-frame Aerial Survey solution for our DJI Matrice 300 RTK. The Zenmuse P1 integrates a full-frame sensor with interchangeable fixed-focus lenses on a 3-axis stabilized gimbal. Designed for photogrammetry flight missions, it takes efficiency and accuracy to a whole new level… Read more: Drone Based Ultra High Resolution Full Frame Aerial Surveying with the DJI Zenmuse P1 Sensor - Under Forest Canopy 3D LiDAR Scanning Capabilities of Hovermap Mobile LiDAR Scanner
Take a walk through the #Redwood #Forest Rotorua, New Zealand, in #3D using our unique #3DForest #LiDAR using the Emesent #Hovermap. Discover the “web of sails amongst the #trees” Find out more about how we captured this in less than a few minutes at https://interpine.nz as we continue to Shaping Today’s Forests with the Technology of Tomorrow.… Read more: Under Forest Canopy 3D LiDAR Scanning Capabilities of Hovermap Mobile LiDAR Scanner - Hovermap Mobile LiDAR Laser Scanning for Engineering Projects
Another neat example of mobile #LiDAR mapping survey with the Emesent Hovermap #MLS showing the ease of data collection for a range of projects. This has been collected at night when the traffic is not present, simply with a 12-minute walk around the survey area with a backpack-based LiDAR system. While there are many ways this kind… Read more: Hovermap Mobile LiDAR Laser Scanning for Engineering Projects - Innovations in Forest Inventory > LiDAR Data Collection From Under the Canopy
- DJI Matrice 300 with Emesent Hovermap for Drone Based LiDAR Survey
- Rich 3D Forest Inventory Data on Show at ForestTECH 2020 in Rotorua
Sneak peeks at some of the rich #3D #forestinventory data being shown at #ForestTECH2020, collected by our Emesent #Hovermap SLAM LiDAR units and processed into #forest #yield using Interpine’s customised #deeplearning algorithms. Over 300 people attending the conference either in person or virtually over 2 days in Rotorua, New Zealand. Many got to experience our virtual reality… Read more: Rich 3D Forest Inventory Data on Show at ForestTECH 2020 in Rotorua - LiDAR Scanning Forests at Younger Age for Tree Selection Trials
Studying #trees early in their #forest rotation for selection is key to improving our #forests of the future. #3D #measurement for #stem form in young #trees using #SLAM #LiDAR generating a #virtual #3DForest duplicate. This is the same tree which has been #digitally #pruned and then measured providing both #sweep and #diameter measurement through the… Read more: LiDAR Scanning Forests at Younger Age for Tree Selection Trials - Colourised LiDAR View of our Rotorua Head Office From Hovermap Backpack
#3D #pointcloud colourised view of our Rotorua Head Office as we put to work the #Hovermap #LiDAR from Emesent. Our team were also out scanning a range of permanent sample plots, some of which were close to 50m tall #radiata pine. These were scanned in 3D from a walk under canopy. Changing the way we… Read more: Colourised LiDAR View of our Rotorua Head Office From Hovermap Backpack - A Glimpse of Interpine’s Thermal Drones and their Sensors Capability
Interpine operates a range of thermal sensors on our fleet of UAV’s (Unmanned aerial vehicles). Just a quick look at some of the sensors and their capability. Thermal Infrared Sensors The DJI Zenmuse H20T sensor (shown above on our Matrice 300 RTK Drone), is a quad package of sensors in a single stabilized gimbal. These… Read more: A Glimpse of Interpine’s Thermal Drones and their Sensors Capability - Adding the Emesent Hovermap SLAM LiDAR Solution to our Services
We are proud to have recently purchased the Emesent #Hovermap #Hovermap #LiDAR simultaneous location and mapping #SLAM) solution to better serve our clients. This unit enhances our #forest #inventory, #drone #UAV and LiDAR services providing a glimpse that the future is now as we continue to shape the forests of today with the technology of… Read more: Adding the Emesent Hovermap SLAM LiDAR Solution to our Services - Operational Immersive Visualisation and Measurement of Dense Point Cloud Data in Forest Inventory
Interpine starts a new 2-year project working with Forest Wood Products Australia on operational immersive visualisation and measurement of dense point cloud data in forest inventory. This new project extends on work started in 2016, and involves working alongside the University of Tasmania, Department of Primary Industry NSW, and the University of Syndey on the… Read more: Operational Immersive Visualisation and Measurement of Dense Point Cloud Data in Forest Inventory - Our 15 Year Journey with LiDAR Presenting as Keynote Speaker at Arizona LiDAR Virtual Symposium
Our remotesensing team leader, Sarah Pitcher-Campbell is looking forward to presenting as the keynote speaker at the LIDAR Virtual Symposium hosted by the Arizona Geographic Information Council (AGIC) tomorrow, looking at how LiDAR is used throughout NZ. - Webinar – Explore the Use of HoverMap LiDAR for Forest Inventory
Emesent Hovermap’s versatility, ease of use and data quality are set to be a game-changer for forestry management. On Thursday the 14 of May we are teaming up with Emesent, to bring you a webinar focused on the applications of Hovermap for forestry resource inventory and mapping. Come and find out more about our recent… Read more: Webinar – Explore the Use of HoverMap LiDAR for Forest Inventory - Conducting Tree Nursery Seedling Inventories Using Drones
Have You Got Enough Trees in Your Tree Nursery for this Planting Seasons Orders? Interpine continues to fly its drones for forest nursery owners to provide a complete inventory of the seedlings in stock. While traditional approaches have been based on sampling the seedling beds, our approach is a complete tree count across the entire… Read more: Conducting Tree Nursery Seedling Inventories Using Drones - New Year, New Skills? Start Using Drones in Your Job, Next Course 16-20 March 2020
New Year, New Skills? Start using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV / Drones / RPAS) across the forestry, environmental, industrial and rural fire sectors. This 5-day Wings Badge course is a partnership between Massey University School of Aviation and Interpine Innovation to deliver industry-tailored training. The course is designed to get participants really thinking about UAVs / Drones in… Read more: New Year, New Skills? Start Using Drones in Your Job, Next Course 16-20 March 2020 - New Forest Scanning Systems Tested
For the love of #trees, our teams love of #Environment #Forestry and #LiDAR combine with our recent work to step up virtual #forest #inventory with new scanning systems and analysis techniques. Our team continues to innovate in the assessment of #Forest #Yield #Assessment methods using LiDAR scanning and these recent inventory plots completed by our teams continue to inspire. #3D #Forestry #PlotSafe #YTGEN #ForestInventory #VirtualReality - Interpine Winner of Timberland’s Environmental Award for 2019
Proud of the team picking up the Timberlands Environmental Award Winner for 2019 at the annual contractors meeting recently. This was in recognition of the development of mapping systems to locate wildfire hotspots with the assistance of drones and infrared cameras, which is now a key tool for Timberlands in their wildfire management and emergency… Read more: Interpine Winner of Timberland’s Environmental Award for 2019 - Deriving DTM using Machine Learning from Drone SFM 3D Models
Another look at some of our offices for the day. This time our professional CAA 102 certified #UAV #drone teams completing an aerial survey of a forest area to be replanted over the winter. Providing updated #DTM using #machinelearning for deriving terrain models using #SFM #3D models even in challenging vegetated areas. - Drones, More than a Flight of Fancy in Forestry – NZ Logger Article
In Sept 2018, Interpine featured in the NZ Logger Magazine, profiling the work being conducted with UAV’s / drones across the forest industry in New Zealand. It’s the way of the future. And it’s here now. Next-generation foresters will grow up with drones in the same way today’s generations have with chainsaws. The article profiled… Read more: Drones, More than a Flight of Fancy in Forestry – NZ Logger Article - Latest Forest Industry Drone Pilots Ready for Flight
- Drone Based Industrial Inspections Helping the Pulp and Paper Industry
Another one of our teams offices for the day, our #Drone crews doing #industrial inspections in hard to reach places creating efficiencies across the #forestry supply chain for #pulping facilities in New Zealand. - Virtual Reality Forest Inventory – Tree Quality Assessment – May 2019 Update
Full Forest Inventory Tree Assessment using Virtual Reality (VR). Data is collected using LiDAR and then field assessment is done within Virtual Reality. Another iteration in the development of field assessment using VR using a point cloud collected from above the tree canopy using a LiDAR sensor. Data is being collected about stem… Read more: Virtual Reality Forest Inventory – Tree Quality Assessment – May 2019 Update - 3D Modelling Forest for Harvesting Productivity Studies
An example of structure from motion modelling of a forest just prior to harvest. This is a 3D point cloud generated from drone / UAV camera imagery, which is then used in studying the efficiency and productivity of harvesting operations. It is hard to step back and realize how far incremental innovation comes when you… Read more: 3D Modelling Forest for Harvesting Productivity Studies - The Importance of GIS in Vegetation / Wildfire Events – ESRI RUC 2019
Patrick de Jong in our team presenting use of Esri #GIS during the Nelson Fires this last summer at the #ESRI Regional User Conference in Whakatane, April 2019. A great insight into the importance of GIS in emergencies and how our remote sensing team are involved. - So Proud of our Women, Working to Help Our Communities in Nelson Fires 2019
So proud of our women, working to help our communities during the recent 2019 Nelson fires, from Sarah being part of the Incident Management Team as their GIS mapping specialist, to Jayne piloting thermal sensor drones with Amber from Lake Okareka Rural Fire Force through the night gathering intel on fire spread and hotspots across… Read more: So Proud of our Women, Working to Help Our Communities in Nelson Fires 2019 - Thermal Infrared Pest Monitoring and Detection Using Drones
Drone / UAV flights at night for monitoring and assisting pest eradication operations at a Wildlife Sanctuary Reserve in Hawkes Bay. This shows the ability of a drone fitted with a high resolution thermal imaging camera, being able to locate, identify and then geo-tag pests across the reserves to assist in eradication operations and incursion… Read more: Thermal Infrared Pest Monitoring and Detection Using Drones - Monitoring Traps Using Drones to Aid Pest Free New Zealand
Interpine Innovation helping New Zealand Predator Free 2050. Monitoring of pests for the purposes of controlling or eradicating populations is a key component in management of wildlife sanctuary reserves throughout New Zealand. Interpine Innovation strives to not just apply drones within the Forest Industry. This is an example of our drone team monitoring traps across… Read more: Monitoring Traps Using Drones to Aid Pest Free New Zealand - Improving the Modelling of Forest Harvesting through Drones Studies
- Industrial Inspection Using Drones at Pulping Facilities
Our team have been working across industries with the deployment of drones / UAV’s for industrial inspection. Drones are an effective way of getting visual reports from places where it is difficult to place humans. A recent example is the assessment of the internal tanks, where a drone is flown into tight spaces and internal… Read more: Industrial Inspection Using Drones at Pulping Facilities - Graduates of our Drone training succeeding out in the forest
Great to see graduates of our fly your own drone for foresters programme using these new effective tools out there in the forest. Acacia Farmery completed our CAA Part 101 drone operators training and earned her “CAA Wings Badge” certification. Acacia Farmery readies her drone with its camera to fly over the recently planted stand… Read more: Graduates of our Drone training succeeding out in the forest - Demostration of Virtual Reality Forest Inventory at ForestTech 2018
Interpine team recently presented and demonstrated at ForestTech 2018 the use of virtual reality for in forest inventory. While the system can use terrestrial LiDAR the focus was on using utra dense point clouds from airborne sensors flying above the tree canopy. This is dataset is an example of 7000 pulses per m2 using the… Read more: Demostration of Virtual Reality Forest Inventory at ForestTech 2018 - Renewal of CAA CAR102 Drone Operations Certification for Next 5 Years
Congratulations to our team for a successful audit and re-certification of our drones operations working under the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of NZ. The team showed their professionalism and attention to detail throughout the re-certification process and this has now been extended through to maximum allowable 5 years (2023). Interpine continue to lead… Read more: Renewal of CAA CAR102 Drone Operations Certification for Next 5 Years - Meet the Team at ForestTech 2018
- Use of UAV / Drones for Wildfire Operations Profiled at WAFA Conference in Wellington
Patrick and Chris from our UAV / Drone operations and remote sensing team presenting at Women & Fire Fighting Australasia Inc Conference 2018 in Wellington this week. They were part of a workshop series at Wellington airport hanger looking at highlighting Air Operations at Wildfires in New Zealand. Safety of drones operating with manned… Read more: Use of UAV / Drones for Wildfire Operations Profiled at WAFA Conference in Wellington - Interpine helping with North American Wildfires in Canada
Interpine’s General Manager, David Herries recently took some time out from overseeing Interpine’s Innovative team and deployed into British Columbia, Canada to help with the wildfires over the 2018 summer. Outside of his role with Interpine, David is also a volunteer Deputy Fire Force Controller for Lake Okareka in Rotorua, as well as being… Read more: Interpine helping with North American Wildfires in Canada - Tree Seedling Delivery using Drones becomes a Reality
#Drone / #UAV #Tree #Seedlings #Delivery for #Forestry #Plantation establishment in steep hill country in #NewZealand. Significant reduction in risk of slip, trip, fall and back strain incidents while increasing productivity through reduced downtime. While pizza deliveries seem to have caught the press and news articles eye, this innovation in the use of drones can… Read more: Tree Seedling Delivery using Drones becomes a Reality - Multispectral Mapping of Invasive Aquatic Weed Using Drones / UAV
- UAV / Drone Insights – Gravity Roller Crushing Supervision
An example video of using #RPAS / #Drone / #UAV technology for supervision and safe behavior observations during a gorse conversion project for the establishment plantation #forestry in New Zealand. A single rope gravity #roller #crusher is being used in this case. UAV’s allow regular supervision and inspection without the need for staff to breach… Read more: UAV / Drone Insights – Gravity Roller Crushing Supervision - Interpines’ Latest Drone, Detects then Warns of Incoming Aircraft
This is an example of the maturing in drones to make safe use our airspace while ensuring we get the benefits of drone technology. Watch this video to see Interpine latest DJI Matrice 210 RTK drone detect and warn the pilot of an incoming manned aircraft. Automatic dependent surveillance — broadcast (ADS–B) surveillance technology in… Read more: Interpines’ Latest Drone, Detects then Warns of Incoming Aircraft - Effectiveness of Drones Shown During Civil Defense Emergency
Great to have the effectiveness and professionalism of our #UAV / #Drone team highlighted with direct acknowledgment from the Hon Steve Chadwick, Mayor of Rotorua. Our team recently provided support for the #emergency and #civildefence response to help our local community during our recent flooding event in Rotorua, New Zealand. Great to see the informative… Read more: Effectiveness of Drones Shown During Civil Defense Emergency - Introductory Drone / UAV Training Course: 18-22 June 2018
Interpine is continuing to provide a pathway for the adoption and wider deployment of #DJI #MavicPro #Phantom4 #UAV / #Drones, RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems) to be a regular tool being used by our field foresters within our Forest #Industry here in New Zealand. This course allows you to get your UAV Civil Aviation Authority CAR 101 wings badge and certification together with basic flight competence and knowledge for… Read more: Introductory Drone / UAV Training Course: 18-22 June 2018 - Wood Chip Pile Volumes – Making a Difference with Drone Technology
See, measure, and monitor forest wood chip piles as they grown & shrink with Drones / UAV and photogrammetry technology. Remember making a difference with technology is more important than the technology itself. There are many ground breaking technological parts to making this a safe, cost effective and smart solution to the previous problem. But least we forget having supply chain staff, that change their view of a stocktake from… Read more: Wood Chip Pile Volumes – Making a Difference with Drone Technology - UAV’s and Harvesting Operations
Our #uav team improving value recovery from #forest #harvestingoperations using Esri #fullmotionvideo technology in field studies with DJI #drones. Showing the industry new ways to do previously difficult and time consuming tasks. - MobileTECH 2018
Our GM David Herries gave a practitioners view as a key note speaker this week at the primary sectors #MobileTECH2018 conference in Rotorua, NZ. Reviewing how digital technology impacts on the forestry sector and how the industry is moving forward and making progress with Forestry 4.0 initiatives. Exploring case studies of remote sensing from #Satellite, #LiDAR, and #Drones while exploring the… Read more: MobileTECH 2018 - UAV for Seedling Counts
Millions of #tree #nursery seedlings counted using our #Drone / #UAV based #inventory. #remotesensing technology helping to keep an eye on the New Zealand vision of “one billion trees target in the next 10 years” - UAV Training Course – March 2018
Our #UAV #Drone team working alongside Massey University School of Aviation has recently completed training and certification of another 12 #foresters from throughout NZ whom are taking drones into their workplace to make forest operations and monitoring more efficient. Also great to have yet another member of the #RPAS team from the NZ Civil Aviation Authority coming along to gain their RPAS operators certificate.… Read more: UAV Training Course – March 2018 - A Visit with the Minister of Forestry
New Zealand Minister of Forestry,Hon Shane Jones recently visited our Remote Sensing and #UAV #Drone team in #Rotorua. Sarah Pitcher-Campbell and Chris Scoggins demonstrated how innovative our industry is in the use of remote sensing technology like #LiDAR, #Satellite imagery and Drones to manage and monitor our #forestry sector. Thus enabling us to take advantage of being safer, planned, and more productive. With collaborative efforts well underway towards the ambitious… Read more: A Visit with the Minister of Forestry - 3500 UAV Flights
Great work to our #UAV team, just over 3500 #flights now completed across New Zealand. Here is a neat view of the all our flight logs over the last couple of years. This is a key component of our CAA 102 certification ensuring all flights are logged and pilots flight hours and competence is maintained. - Thermal IR Drone Deployment to Chatham Islands Fire
Great to have our #UAV #drone and remote sensing team making a difference in fire management again this season, conducting thermal IR surveys across some 2500ha of fire ground on the Chatham Islands. Here is some of the feedback from the incident controllers…. “Your team have been fantastic to deal with, exceptionally helpful and have really fitted in… Read more: Thermal IR Drone Deployment to Chatham Islands Fire - Drones Used for Dunedin Fire
Our #UAV #drone team again around the country this week working with Fire and Emergency NZ and Lake Okareka Rural Fire Force in Dunedin. Providing updated fire ground maps, thermal hotspot surveys, and training ground crews on use of mapping apps on their smartphones, helping make ground operations more effective. - UAV Team Southland Fire Deployment
The #UAV #Drone team were recently deployed with Lake Okareka Rural Fire Force to Southland last week, clearing hotspots and providing updated fire maps for the Fire and Emergency NZ firefighters on the ground. … Read more: UAV Team Southland Fire Deployment - Advances in Remote Sensing Presented at Forest Growers Conference
A recent video interview with our General Manager, David Herries after speaking at the #Forest Growers Research conference in Christchurch NZ. As New Zealand’s largest #UAV service provider to the forest industry, we are already using UAV’s for a whole suite of forest management activities. David outlines the industry adoption of both #LiDAR and UAV’s… Read more: Advances in Remote Sensing Presented at Forest Growers Conference - Drones and Helicopters – shared workWorking alongside Fire and Emergency NZ, the Interpine #UAV team are putting #drones & helicopters to work together during #fire #attack. Combined, fire mapping and #hotspot detection use the smarts of the drone such as full motion video mapping as we have come to expect, but extending this for use with a manned helicopter platform… Read more: Drones and Helicopters – shared work
- CAA 102 Certification for Interpine’s Unmanned Aerial Drone Services
Our team UAV / Drone team continue to lead by example within the forest industry; having recently been certified last month with CAA Part 102 operating privileges. Being the first forestry and/or rural fire related UAV provider to do so in New Zealand. These privileges include operating at night, above 400ft AGL, over persons or property, within low flying… Read more: CAA 102 Certification for Interpine’s Unmanned Aerial Drone Services - Drone Tech Profiled on #TVNZ as a Leading Innovator in Forestry Sector
Interpine’s #UAV #Drone technology profiled on #TVNZ as a leading innovator to improve #safety, workloads, and the way we manage our forests in the New Zealand #Forest Industry. https://youtu.be/To8aMe3SZ0A - ForestTech 2017 – Drones in the Forestry Sector
Great to see safety is a big focus for #uav #drone use in the #forestry sector. #Timberlands Forest Engineer Hazel Swanson talking about practical benefits of drones for forest engineering after the last 6 months putting drones to work in the forest, and the importance of having completed UAV #certification at #CAA 101 level on… Read more: ForestTech 2017 – Drones in the Forestry Sector - UAV / Drones in Forestry – Reaching for a New Perspection
Because of the scale involved in forestry, both time and area, mathematics has always been heavily employed so foresters can take samples and calculate averages or make predictions on the growth or yield of their crop. With the advent of increasingly usable and accessible aerial remote sensing techniques, in particular UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) technology,… Read more: UAV / Drones in Forestry – Reaching for a New Perspection - Using Drones for Pest Management – a possibilityStudents at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology have worked with Interpine to look at potential of #UAV / #Drones and remote sensing to help with pest control operations. UAVs flown over forests and remnant bush sites, particularly those not currently receiving any pest control, to record the unique spectral signature of the vegetation and to… Read more: Using Drones for Pest Management – a possibility
- Potential of Using UAV / Drones for Pest Control ?
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and remote image sensing cameras have considerable potential for use in pest control operations. UAVs equipped with remote sensing cameras could be flown over forests and remnant bush sites, particularly those not currently receiving any pest control, to record the unique spectral signature of the vegetation and to detect the presence… Read more: Potential of Using UAV / Drones for Pest Control ? - UAV’s Useful in Woodchip Stocktakes
Our UAV team making the #pulp #paper #industry more efficient through more timely #volumetric #stock takes with #Drones / #UAV “Use of UAV’s for quantifying our stock pile volumes has been a great step forward in a timely and more accurate process wood fiber management. Interpine have provided a innovative service that shows the usefulness… Read more: UAV’s Useful in Woodchip Stocktakes - Forestry Felling Breakage Studies with ESRI Full Motion Video Mapping
Forestry felling stem breakage studies with #ESRI Full Motion Video Mapping technology enhances the way we can monitor and develop models with data collected with #drones #UAV in the #Forest. youtu.be/V9VmZbvaIQA - Not all about the day job.. Our #UAV pilots volunteer to track Kiwi.
Quietly amongst the Kaweka Ranges in Hawkes Bay the Kiwi can more often be heard. North Island Brown Kiwi to be exact with help from the Pan Pac Forest Products Ltd Kiwi Creche, located at the Boundary Stream Mainland Island Reserve, and the tireless efforts of a few hardy volunteers like Interpine’s #UAV / #Drone pilot; Simon Bainbridge. It’s currently nesting season… Read more: Not all about the day job.. Our #UAV pilots volunteer to track Kiwi. - Helping Make the Pulp & Paper Sector More Efficient with Timely Chip Stocks
Our UAV team making the #pulp #paper #industry more efficient through more timely #volumetric #stock takes with #Drones / #UAV. “Use of UAV’s for quantifying our stock pile volumes has been a great step forward in a timely and more accurate process wood fibre management. Interpine have provided a innovative service that shows the usefulness of UAV’s in the forest industry” Richard Sherratt, Wood Supply Manager,… Read more: Helping Make the Pulp & Paper Sector More Efficient with Timely Chip Stocks - Using Thermal IR and Fire Modelling to help with Fire Attack Planning and Suppression
Great to be presenting alongside the Scion rural fire research team at the annual Forest Growers Research Conference being held in Christchurch. With a field trip from the conference visiting the fire ground and together with the Department of Conservation (DOC) and PF Olsen Limited, the Interpine team presented the use of thermal drones being used on the Port Hills… Read more: Using Thermal IR and Fire Modelling to help with Fire Attack Planning and Suppression - Improved Energy Efficiencies through Thermal Imagery
Great to see example of further application of our teams #Drones / #UAVworking to provide efficiencies in the wood processing sector. Here is a unique aerial perspective at an industrial site survey using #Thermal#Infrared cameras; providing insights for developing better main tenance programs and looking at energy efficiencies across the site. - Full Motion Video – New Functionality for Forest Mapping TechnologyUsing #DJI #UAV #Drones as a measurement tool using the #ESRI #ArcGISfull motion video capabilities bring new functionality to the way we can use this technology in the forest for mapping, trials and monitoring forest activity, review the following video to see how these tools combine into innovation for the forest industry. View the link below: https://youtu.be/RED-aCnOVHs
- Get your Wings – Drone Training Course
Our #UAV / #Drone Team providing another great training course for the #UAV / #Drone training intake for Aug 2017. A group of 11 foresters, including staff from Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology Ministry for Primary Industries, Hancocks Forest Management, Forest Protection Services, Woodmetrics Hawke’s Bay Regional Council , and even two from our Civil Aviation Authority RPAS team. This course provides basic… Read more: Get your Wings – Drone Training Course - LiDAR meets 3D Printing – Benefits of 3D Printing for Forest Engineering
Our Remote Sensing team are constantly immersing ourselves in 3D modelling from our rich #LiDAR datasets. #3Dprintingtechnology brings this from the screen to the table. Meet our miniature model of White Island Volcano in New Zealand. Getting #LiDAR data adopted is not always about viewing the data, what about touching it! How could this change the way you… Read more: LiDAR meets 3D Printing – Benefits of 3D Printing for Forest Engineering - Using Drones / UAV for 3D Modelling Forest Tree Structure
The Interpine #UAV #Drone continue to innovate around the use of structure from motion 3D modelling. In this case we show some examples of modelling tree structure and resulting stem volume / form, which are important in the forest yield modelling calculations. Doing this type of trial / study work was either time consuming or difficult to operationally… Read more: Using Drones / UAV for 3D Modelling Forest Tree Structure - Investigating Tree Structure from 3D Modelling
The Interpine #UAV #Drone continue to innovate around the use of structure from motion 3D modelling. In this case we show some examples of modelling tree structure and resulting stem volume / form, which are important in the forest yield modelling calculations. Doing this type of trial / study work was either time consuming or difficult to operationally… Read more: Investigating Tree Structure from 3D Modelling - Innovations in Drone use in the Rural Fire; FRFANZ Conference 2017Interpine’s General Manager and Lake Okareka Rural Fire Force Deputy Station Officer FENZ Rural, David Herries will be providing insights into use #UAV #Drones during 2016/17 #fire season at #FRFANZ (#UFBA) conference 1-4 August 2017 in Auckland. After successfully deploying the technology into some of New Zealand’s largest fires in decades early this year. We reflect on their use during the Port Hills 2017… Read more: Innovations in Drone use in the Rural Fire; FRFANZ Conference 2017