Document Type
Report
Publication Date
9-2026
Abstract
This project addressed a critical knowledge gap in modern forest management: the lack of a standardized, rigorous economic framework to evaluate the true financial viability of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS/drones). Supported by this seed grant, an economic evaluation protocol rooted in engineering economics was developed and translated into a functional financial template tool. When external structural funding changes at a partner flight agency restricted upfront fixed-wing hardware access, the research design was pivoted from a single-site case study at Lubrecht Experimental Forest to a multi-project empirical validation. The framework was applied across nine distinct drone remote sensing projects managed by the University of Montana’s Autonomous Aerial Systems Office (AASO). This analysis empirically validated the framework, isolated cost-per-hectare metrics, and identified four primary cost drivers.
Rights
© 2026 Micah G. Scudder
Recommended Citation
Scudder, Micah G., "Drone Remote Sensing for Forestry: An Economic Assessment" (2026). University Grant Program Reports. 89.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/ugp-reports/89