Evaluation of unmanned aerial vehicle use opportunities in forest road project (Düzce sample)

Forest roads are important infrastructure facilities that enable forestry activities to continue without interruption. These infrastructure facilities are very important in terms of protection and maintenance of forests, safe transportation of the produced property, afforestation, recreation, and transportation to forest fires as soon as possible. Since the measurements obtained in the studies carried out with the traditional planning approach are not detailed, it is seen as an approach open to various errors and deficiencies. Today, an advantageous environment has been created by the widespread use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software, the increase in its use, as well as the integration of clearer and reliable information within the framework of sensitive forestry understanding, with the acquisition of high resolution images with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). This study, with the help of UAV data and GIS on forest roads, which serve as the basic infrastructure in the fulfillment of forestry activities, for forest road design and excavation - filling calculations, drone etc. made to demonstrate the applicability of the technologies. The study was carried out on the 164 coded B Type forest road belonging to the Cumaova Forestry Directorate affiliated to the Düzce Forestry Operations Directorate. In line with the study, first of all, data were obtained with a multicopter drone. A Digital Terrain Model (DTM) of the study area was produced with the raw data obtained. The produced DTM data was compared with the 12.5 m Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data showing the land structure before the road was built. At the last stage of the study, the height and position data obtained from the road line with ground measurements and the excavation - fill amounts were compared using the RoadEng software. In the light of the results obtained in this study, it is thought that safer and more sensitive data can be obtained in forest road design studies, and it can provide a practical approach to road planning studies for planners, decision makers and practitioners.