Accuracy of digital terrain model on forest roads using airborne LIDAR and UAV point clouds

Abstract

A sufficiently dense forest road network is a basic prerequisite for the professional management of forests on the basis of close to nature management. For the purposes of forest management, it is of great importance to determine the state of damage of forest roads, to plan their reconstruction and to calculate the costs of their repair. The dominant method for forest mapping is photogrammetry, which is currently combined with airborne laser scanning data. The combination of these two methods makes it possible to obtain up-to-date and representative forest and landscape information for the purpose of professional and sustainable forest management in the context of 'precision forestry', which is based on the use of detailed site-specific information for the planning, management and implementation of forestry activities. In this paper, we discuss the application of the mentioned remote sensing methods for modelling the surface of selected forest road sections and evaluating the elevation accuracy of the data used. From the point of view of the methods used, both appear to be very suitable for the purpose of detailed surface mapping, condition and damage assessment, or for the optimization and design of new roads.