DRACONES research group creates digital twins for the optimal use of poplar plantations
The DRACONES research group, formed by researchers from the Ponferrada Campus of the University of León (ULE), has initiated the development of a proof of concept (PoC) with the company Garnica Samazan, located in France, to transfer 3D technologies available for the quantification and estimation of standing poplar wood volume (Smart Forestry), within the European consortium DIGIS3. This collaboration represents the internationalization of the knowledge transfer initiated with the company Garnica Valencia de Don Juan (León) in 2023 and which continues today.
The collaboration with the French company consists of applying the methods developed by DRACONES for the estimation of profile functions for the estimation of standing timber volume using laser technology in several clonal plantations. Researchers from the Ponferrada campus carried out data collection in poplar plantations with a portable laser scanner that captures more than 300,000 points/s and allows detailed 3D reconstruction of each tree, so that a digital twin of the poplar plantation is created in which the total wood volume of each tree, its height, diameter, or timber volume can be accurately calculated to obtain logs with certain characteristics set by the industry. From this information it is possible to know the amount of wood to be obtained and how to make the optimal cutting for its use (before cutting it and taking it to the factory), thus optimizing the industrial processes and ensuring the maximum yield of wood.