Volume 60

Evaluation of Optimal Power Systems for Timber Extraction Using High-Payload Drones: A Simulation-Based Approach Shigetoshi Tokuoka, Yoshiaki Ohkami, Yoshiki Yamagata

Abstract

This study proposes a modeling framework and power system selection process for the deployment of high-payload drones in timber extraction operations, with the objective of promoting sustainable forestry practices. The introduction of such drones is expected to improve labor efficiency and operational productivity by reducing hazardous and physically demanding tasks, and lowering the labor and cost requirements associated with forest road development. To support optimal power system selection, evaluation criteria were established from the perspectives of economic efficiency, operational feasibility, and environmental impact. Simulations were conducted for four candidate power systems, battery-powered systems (BPS), BPS with off-grid charging, series hybrid systems (SHS), and tethered power supply systems (TPS), across payload capacities of 100 kg, 200 kg, and 300 kg. The results indicate a general trend of increasing overall performance scores with larger payloads. While both the BPS and TPS exhibited favorable performance, the operational advantages of the BPS were found to be limited in remote forest environments due to challenges in securing high-voltage grid access and operational interruptions associated with battery replacement. In contrast, the TPS demonstrated superior scalability and operational stability at higher payloads in all weighting scenarios, benefiting from a higher payload-to-airframe ratio and a continuous power supply. These findings suggest that the TPS offers strong potential for large-scale deployment, particularly in the transport of heavy thinning and clear-cut timber.

Keywords sustainable forestry, timber extraction, high-payload drones, optimal power system selection, tethered power supply system