Seed-shooting drone for re-seeding mangroves

A partnership between BioCarbon Engineering and the NGO Worldview International Foundation aims to replant 400,000 mangroves per day in Burma using drones. The BioCarbon Engineering drones, developed in 2015, carry biodegradable pods filled with a germinated seed and nutrients that are released over the study site following an environmental survey. The drones first fly over an area to map it, collecting data about the topography. The area is then confirmed and refined in the field so that the seedlings can be released in the right locations, in keeping with the mangrove’s natural configuration. The drones can be programmed to create an optimal release plan, reproducing the natural structures of native species.