Swedish Startup Unveils Drone That Fells and Transports Trees Independently

A Swedish startup has introduced a drone that independently cuts down trees, removes their branches during flight, and transports the logs out of a forest without requiring ground personnel or heavy equipment.

AirForestry's drone, operating in an active production forest rather than a controlled environment, completed the entire harvesting process on its own. The company states that this method avoids approximately 20% of the forest floor damage typically caused by conventional 20-tonne harvesting machines.

The drone measures 6.2 metres across, weighs significantly less than traditional harvesters, and can lift payloads up to 200 kilograms, handling trees that typically weigh between 40 and 140 kilograms during thinning operations. Its process involves grasping the tree from above, stripping branches while descending, sawing the trunk near the base, and then flying the log to a roadside collection point. The drone is electrically powered, emits no on-site pollution, and can operate in temperatures down to -20°C, as well as in rain, snow, and winds up to 13 meters per second.

AirForestry plans to deploy fleets of six drones per harvesting site. According to Dronewatch Europe, the system costs about €450,000, which is comparable to conventional harvesters. The company claims that this fleet arrangement produces 8% more timber over a full harvest cycle by preserving soil integrity.

Comparison with Conventional Harvesting Equipment

Traditional harvesters typically incur operating expenses near $81 per machine-hour, with forwarders adding around $53. Their heavy weight compacts soil and damages root systems, leading to decreased forest productivity lasting decades. Even lighter machines like the Malwa 560, which weighs 5.5 tonnes, leave tracks. AirForestry contends that eliminating ground machinery altogether disrupts this cycle of soil damage.

In October 2024, AirForestry secured a €10.3 million seed funding round led by Northzone, the venture capital firm behind Spotify and Klarna. Other investors include Europe's largest forest owner Sveaskog and the Swedish Energy Agency, which provided a €1.7 million grant, as reported by Silicon Canals.

Field Trials and Regulatory Challenges

In January 2026, the drone underwent a trial in Norway in partnership with Statskog, a state-owned company managing one-fifth of Norwegian forests. The test site near Trondheim features steeper and more rugged terrain than the flatter Swedish forests where the drone was developed, providing a significant evaluation of its operational versatility. Results from this trial have not yet been released, according to the AirForestry–Statskog partnership announcement.

The global market for forest thinning is estimated at €14 billion annually. In the United States, the sector is dominated by established manufacturers such as Komatsu and John Deere. AirForestry’s regulatory approval process outside Sweden remains uncertain due to varying frameworks, including EU airspace regulations, UK drone approvals post-Brexit, and US Federal Aviation Administration permits for remote operations. No commercial launch date, pricing details, or availability beyond Scandinavia have been disclosed.

Claims of an 8% increase in timber yield and preservation of 23 million tonnes of CO₂ in Swedish forests stem from AirForestry’s marketing materials. Independent forestry research has yet to verify these assertions.