5G drones remotely controlled forest machine – new report shows the way forward

– The test confirms that there are technical prerequisites for remote control of forestry machines. At the same time, we identified several obstacles that must be overcome before the technology is ready for commercial use that works outside the lab, says Mikael Gidlund, professor of computer science at Mid Sweden University.

The 5G-equipped drone was used as an airborne base station in the mobile network, thereby creating a temporary and robust connection. Among the challenges is limited reliability in connection with the drone, especially in bad weather such as strong winds and rain.

– The report shows the need for robust, cost-effective and simple solutions for enhanced temporary 5G coverage. This is something we are now working to develop as we see similar demand from other industries and sectors of society, especially the defence industry, which is now being equipped to increase Sweden's digital preparedness, says Magnus Leonhardt, Head of Strategy and Innovation, Telia's corporate business. 

Important with a secure connection

The experiences from the project have now been compiled in a report that provides guidance for how the forest industry can be connected in a safe and efficient way. 

– A reliable connection is crucial, not least in the event of accidents out in the forest. This involves everything from sending sensor data between machines to enabling remote-controlled and autonomous vehicles. It is a question of a safe working environment, says Petrus Jonsson, Forestry Research Institute of Sweden.

Step-by-step development towards autonomous solutions

The report recommends that the forest industry start with applications that require less data capacity – such as navigation, mapping and route optimization. The next step is remote control of machines in direct proximity to the work area, which enables simpler technology and an improved working environment. In the longer term, new business models and user-friendly products are required that meet the industry's need for advanced remote control solutions.

Mid Sweden University's researchers are now taking the insights from the test into new projects with the goal of developing future-proof communication solutions where traditional infrastructure is lacking. 

– We have submitted two new research applications to Vinnova where we combine different technologies and use AI to create smarter and more resilient communication solutions, says Mikael Gidlund.

About the project

The test and report are part of the research project Robust wireless infrastructure for remotely controlled timber management, which is now being completed. The project has been led by Mid Sweden University in collaboration with Telia, Ericsson, Skogforsk, SCA, Biometria and Volvo Construction Equipment, with funding from Vinnova and the Advanced Digitalization program.

Read the full report (in Swedish)

Read the short version of the report (in Swedish)

Contact person

Mikael Gidlund, Professor of Computer Engineering at Mid Sweden University
+46 (0)10-1428692 and mikael.gidlund@miun.se