Drone conducts climate research over the Brasschaat forest De Inslag
A unique drone from the University of Antwerp will now fly autonomously every day over the Brasschaat forest De Inslag. From the drone, seven advanced instruments for climate research will simultaneously conduct measurements — a world first. Scientists from the University of Antwerp thus gain insight into the health of the trees, the effects of climate change, and the interactions between plants and their environment.
Starting in May 2025, a brand-new research drone will fly over the De Inslag forest in Brasschaat (Antwerp). The drone will follow a fixed 30-minute route, several dozen meters above the canopy. The combination of the autonomously flying drone and the climate sensors is unique worldwide and was specially developed for this project by UAntwerp, in collaboration with the Limburg-based company DroneMatrix and with support from the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO).
Insight into the functioning of the forest
"Drones have become essential for research and management of our natural environment. It remains a challenge for managers and researchers to determine which sensors are best suited for their drone," says project coordinator Prof. Ivan Janssens (Global Change Ecology Centre, University of Antwerp). "Due to practical limitations, drones are often only able to carry one or two sensors. The seven sensors on board this drone truly make it unique."
The drone measures, among other things, the temperature of the tree canopies, records leaf color with high precision, and measures how much light the trees emit. "During each flight, all sensors perform measurements fully automatically and simultaneously," explains Janssens. "This data provides us with insights into the tree species present, photosynthesis activity, health, water content, and drought stress of all the trees in the forest — something that has never been achieved before. In addition, it can also map the risk of a wildfire."
Nearly 30 years as a hotspot for research
The drone’s home base is the research site in the De Inslag forest in Brasschaat. Since 1996, the University of Antwerp (UAntwerpen) and INBO (Research Institute for Nature and Forest) have been conducting joint forest and climate research there. Central to this research is a 40-meter-high measurement tower, equipped with more than 100 sensors.
INBO’s research mainly focuses on the impact of air pollution on the forest, while UAntwerpen focuses on the effects of climate change. The site is part of the Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS), a European network of more than 180 measurement stations that monitors changes in the carbon cycle. The Flemish division of ICOS is funded by the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO) and enables the study of how carbon uptake by ecosystems changes as a result of climate change.
"Even without the drone, this research site is unique. For nearly 30 years, we have been measuring how much CO₂ the forest absorbs or emits," says Janssens. "In the 1990s, the forest was in poor condition, suffering from acid rain that damaged the trees and soil. At that time, the forest emitted more CO₂ than it absorbed. Today, the forest is healthy again and absorbs up to more than 400 grams of CO₂ per square meter from the atmosphere each year. There are very few places in the world where we can look so far back into the past."
With the arrival of the drone, UAntwerpen demonstrates its ongoing innovation in climate research. "Flanders has often positioned itself as a knowledge region in the past and will continue to do so in the future," says Flemish Minister-President Matthias Diependaele, responsible for innovation. "Such scientific research can lead to breakthroughs in various ecological processes and contribute to unique discoveries that benefit both the Flemish economy and society."