Case Study: UWICE maps forest damage in Bhutan with Pix4D drone mapping software

Quantifying forest damage in Bhutan

UWICE, the Ugyen Wangchuck Institute for Conservation and Environment in Bhutan, needed a practical way to assess forest damage in steep, remote terrain where bark beetle outbreaks were spreading through blue pine forests. Partnering with Pix4D, the team used drone mapping and Pix4Dmapper to survey affected areas that were difficult or impossible to reach from the ground.

Using a DJI Phantom 4, Pix4D helped UWICE process 331 images into an orthomosaic and 3D model, enabling the team to measure 25.83 hectares of damage, annotate new infestation areas, and establish baseline data for future monitoring. The project delivered results within 48 hours, with processing completed in about 4 hours, giving UWICE a faster, more economical way to track forest health and plan interventions; Pix4D said the workflow also revealed the radial spread pattern of the outbreak that could not be seen from the ground.

UWICE