Advanced Automated Timber Value Chain

AutoForst aims to address the challenges in the forest wood supply chain through advanced automation of the individual process steps in the wood value chain. Although progress has been made recently, particularly in the development of assistance systems, the level of automation in forestry remains relatively low. AutoForst aims to fully automate workflows to reduce the need for on-site personnel, especially in hazardous situations, and improve safety. The integration of automated technologies such as cranes, trucks, and drones will increase efficiency, with human intervention only required for tasks that machines cannot perform independently. In addition, automation enables comprehensive traceability along the entire roundwood value chain. By using sustainable drive systems, AutoForst ensures environmental sustainability and takes advantage of the local environment, such as the potential for energy recovery and the generation of green energy from renewable sources such as hydropower. AutoForst's methodology focuses on overcoming the key scientific challenges associated with implementing automation in the roundwood value chain. This interdisciplinary approach encompasses advances in image recognition algorithms, AI-based analytics, automotive and sensor technologies, navigation strategies, control algorithms for various systems such as drones, cranes, and trucks, remote monitoring, fleet management, digitization, and sustainability efforts, all aimed at shaping the forestry industry of the future. Beyond the scientific and technological challenges, forestry environments present particular difficulties, such as changing climate and weather conditions, remote or hard-to-reach areas, and external factors such as wind. These factors increase the complexity of applying the approaches researched and developed by AutoForst, making it a unique and exceptional project that combines interdisciplinarity in a truly unique way. AutoForst will integrate the results of scientific research in collaboration with key players from leading Austrian companies into functional prototypes that reflect the interdisciplinary approach. These prototypes will be validated in real-world forestry environments to demonstrate the feasibility of the technology and serve as a basis for future developments. In addition, they will serve as a platform for the certification of fully automated systems.