Forest Products Industry

Drones, also referred to as uncrewed aerial systems or UAS, have been increasingly complicating airspace around wildfires since the first consumer models came to market in 2013. Source: Timberbiz These mechanical critters of the sky are a nuisance to wildland firefighting when they are operating unauthorized in restricted airspace, putting pilots, their crews, and aircraft at risk. When unauthorized drones are sighted, the fire manager must shut down the airspace for all air operations supporting the wildland fire suppression for safety reasons. This means crucial aerial firefighting and lifesaving capabilities – like air medevac and fire suppression aircraft – can’t fly. People could die and more buildings and forest could burn when someone flies their unauthorized drone in restricted airspace In 2025, there were 218 drone sightings over active wildfires. Most of these occurred during last year’s Eaton and Palisades Fires in Los Angeles where 184 drone incursions were reported within the restricted airspace set up around the active fires. While that might not seem like a large number, especially near one of the nation’s largest cities, it’s more than the seven-year national total of 125 reported incidents. “We suspect the actual number of intrusions is likely higher, as detection can be limited by visibility and the availability of equipment,” said Lyndsay Johnson an assistant director of aviation safety for the Forest Service. Shortly after a midair collision in January 2025, between a water-dropping aircraft called the Super Scooper and a small consumer drone, a counter UAS task force was formed with the FBI, and Los Angeles County Fire Department and Sheriff’s department. “Counter UAS, is about detection and deterrence,” said Johnson. “They use a system to detect drones the second someone turns them on. They then can track the controller, the location of the operator and their flight profile.” That’s when an intercept team consisting of the sheriff’s department and the FBI go out to find the drone operator. During a one-day period on the Eaton and Palisades Fires, the intercept team conducted 49 detections and intercepts. One of these visits from the FBI can come with tens of thousands of dollars in fines, and prison sentences up to 12 months. The intentions of these drone pilots often fell into one of three categories – criminal, careless or clueless. Regardless of intention, flying drones in restricted areas has real consequences. Temporary flight restriction areas are supposed to provide aerial firefighting aircraft with a safe and secure airspace to operate. Each intrusion increases the likelihood of a midair collision. Johnson has heard many stories of near misses, sometimes close enough for the pilots to count the propellers.

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According to a report by the Wall Street Journal Weyerhaeuser plans to use artificial intelligence across logging, replanting, trucking and mill operations as it seeks to add $1 billion in annual profit by 2030 without relying on higher lumber prices. Sources: Wall Street Journal, Timberbiz Chief Executive Devin Stockfish told WSJ that the company has 125 years of forest-growth data and plans to use AI to improve decisions across its timberlands. The company said the targeted profit increase would roughly double 2025 profits. The company has hired John Scumniotales, a former Amazon Alexa executive, to help lead its AI deployment and aims to build a digital model of its timber properties using a combination of satellite images, drone footage and lidar. This will give the company tree sizes and species and a raft of detailed information. AI will be used to review this information and make predictions on survival rates of seedlings. Ai will then replace foresters producing faster, safer and cheaper data. More than 100 million seedlings a year are planted. The report said that the company is also testing semi-autonomous logging equipment including skidders that use AI assisted navigation and terrain mapping while an operator is in control but many miles away. It was reported that the technology could allow just one operator to manage multiple machines, and in the future other forestry equipment could follow this lead. The Wall Street Journal also said that the company is working with Nordic Forestry Automation on an in-cabin AI assistant, and the Weyehaeuser is also using AI to monitor mill production.

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