Using Drones to Support Land Restoration in Ireland

Practical delivery, reseeding, and monitoring at scale

Ireland’s land restoration objectives—across forestry, peatlands, biodiversity, and climate action—are increasingly shaped by two realities: difficult terrain and the need for verifiable outcomes. As restoration programmes scale, there is growing pressure to deliver work efficiently on remote or wet ground, while also producing clear evidence of what has been achieved.

In this context, heavy-lift agricultural drones such as the DJI Agras T25 and T50 are emerging as practical support tools for land restoration. These platforms are already being used in comparable landscapes, particularly in Scotland, to assist with reseeding, targeted application, and monitoring—always as part of ecologically led programmes rather than standalone solutions.

Why drones are relevant to Irish restoration challenges

Many priority restoration sites in Ireland share characteristics that limit traditional approaches:

• Peatland margins and uplands with restricted access

• Wet or unstable ground unsuitable for machinery

• Fragmented land parcels with high mobilisation costs

• Increasing requirements for repeatable monitoring and reporting

Large-capacity drones such as the T25 and T50 are specifically designed to operate in these environments. Their value lies not in replacing ground-based work, but in supporting delivery where access, timing, or safety are constraints.

Key capabilities include:

• Precise distribution of seed or restoration materials

• Operation without ground disturbance

• Rapid deployment across dispersed sites

• Consistent, repeatable data capture for monitoring

essons from Scotland: reseeding and restoration support in practice

In Scotland, drones are now used within publicly supported restoration programmes, particularly for peatland restoration and upland recovery. These projects demonstrate how drone capability can be integrated responsibly into land management.

Reseeding and vegetation establishment

Drones are used to:

• Reseed bare or disturbed peatland surfaces following rewetting works

• Apply stabilising vegetation or nurse species to reduce erosion

• Access steep, unsafe, or remote ground where foot access is limited

Importantly, these deployments are ecology-led: species selection, timing, and follow-up monitoring are determined by restoration objectives, not by the technology itself.

Targeted application (“feed” and establishment support)

In some Scottish projects, drones are also used to apply:

• Organic soil conditioners

• Establishment aids to support early vegetation growth

These applications are site-specific and controlled, aimed at improving establishment success rather than blanket treatment.

Monitoring and verification

Repeat drone surveys are used to:

• Establish baseline conditions

• Track vegetation recovery

• Provide transparent, auditable evidence of outcomes

These approaches are commonly overseen by bodies such as NatureScot and Forestry and Land Scotland, providing a strong reference point for Ireland.

Where this approach fits best in Ireland

Based on Irish landscape conditions and international experience, drone-supported restoration is particularly well suited to:

Native woodland support

• Supplementary reseeding around existing native woodland

• Stitching habitat corridors across inaccessible ground

• Monitoring establishment success over time

Peatland margins and buffer zones

• Supporting revegetation after rewetting works

• Reducing erosion risk on exposed peat edges

• Monitoring recovery with minimal site disturbance

Post-disturbance recovery

• Rapid assessment and intervention after wildfire, storms, or windthrow

• Safe access to unstable or hazardous terrain

Biodiversity and habitat monitoring

• Repeatable surveys to support programme reporting

• Consistent evidence across seasons and years

A sensible pilot model for Ireland

The most appropriate next step for Ireland is not large-scale deployment, but a small number of well-designed pilots embedded within existing programmes.

A practical pilot approach could include:

• Clear ecological objectives and site selection criteria

• Baseline drone surveys aligned with expert assessment

• Controlled reseeding or targeted application where justified

• Repeat monitoring using standardised methods

• Data outputs suitable for audit and EU reporting

Such pilots would allow organisations like the
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and
National Parks and Wildlife Service
to assess effectiveness, cost, governance, and scalability under Irish conditions.

Why this matters now

Ireland’s restoration commitments increasingly require evidence of outcomes, not just activity. Drone-supported delivery offers a way to:

• Improve access to difficult sites

• Reduce disturbance and risk

• Strengthen monitoring, reporting, and verification

• Support value-for-money decision-making

Crucially, this can be achieved without changing existing policy frameworks, by treating drones as a delivery and evidence tool within established programmes.

Conclusion

The use of drones such as the DJI Agras T25 and T50 for land restoration is no longer speculative. In comparable landscapes, particularly Scotland, these platforms are already supporting reseeding, establishment, and monitoring in a controlled, ecologically informed manner.

For Ireland, the opportunity is to pilot and standardise best practice, ensuring that drone-supported restoration is practical, proportionate, and aligned with national climate and biodiversity objectives.

Done carefully, this approach can strengthen Ireland’s ability to deliver restoration at scale—while providing the transparency and evidence increasingly required at national and EU level.