Use of remotely piloted aircraft in forestry: a bibliometric and scientometric analysis (2012-2024)

Authors
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47456/bjpe.v12i3.51283
Keywords:
Unmanned aerial vehicle, Drone, Eucalyptus, Pine
Abstract

This study conducted a comprehensive bibliometric and scientometric analysis of the international scientific output on the applications of Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPAs) in silvicultural systems from 2012 to 2024. The investigation was carried out using the Scopus database, employing bibliometric and scientometric analysis tools through the Bibliometrix package in the R environment, based on a dataset of 1,129 scientific articles selected after the application of filtering criteria. The results reveal an exponential growth in publications, with an average annual growth rate of 42.3%, particularly pronounced from 2016 onward. The analysis of scientific collaboration networks identified China as the leading producing country, establishing a strategic axis with the United States. The thematic mapping revealed the consolidation of core domains, such as Image Processing and Object Detection, which are widely associated with forest monitoring, inventory, and the assessment of phytosanitary conditions. In contrast, emerging technologies, such as UAV-LiDAR, are still in a developmental stage and exhibit lower scientific maturity. A critical gap was also identified, indicating the need for future research aimed at enhancing the transfer of scientific knowledge related to the use of agricultural RPAs to forest management.

Author Biographies
  1. João Victor Oliveira Ribeiro, Federal University of Espírito Santo

    Técnico em Agropecuária pelo Instituto Federal do Espírito Santo, campus Montanha (2022). Discente do curso de Agronomia pela Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES/CEUNES). https://orcid.org/0009-0003-6714-2951

  2. Luis Felipe Oliveira Ribeiro, Federal University of Espírito Santo

    Engenheiro Agrônomo e Mestrando no Programa de Pós-Graduação em Agricultura Tropical, ambos pela Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (Ufes/Ceunes). Integrante do Laboratório de Mecanização e Defensivos Agrícolas (LMDA/Ufes/Ceunes). É Pesquisador Técnico e Científico da Emflora Serviços e Empreendimentos Florestais. Tem experiência na área de Agronomia, atuando nos seguintes temas: Tecnologia de aplicação de defensivos agrícolas com ênfase em aeronaves remotamente pilotadas (drones) para pulverização e dispersão de sólidos; Fitotecnia e Experimentação agrícola. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0764-3239 http://lattes.cnpq.br/7272773825022352

  3. Thais Santana do Nascimento, Emflora Serviços e Empreendimentos Florestais

    Técnica Agropecuária pelo pelo Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia Baiano - IF Baiano (2015) campus Teixeira de Freitas. Graduada em Agronomia pela Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo - UFES/CEUNES campus São Mateus (2021). Durante a graduação foi monitora da disciplina de Fisiologia Vegetal, participou de projeto de pesquisa junto ao Laboratório de Ecofisiologia Vegetal da UFES - Campus São Mateus. Possui mestrado em Agricultura Tropical (PPGAT/UFES). Atua na empresa Emflora Serviços e Empreendimentos Florestais. https://orcid.org/0009-0004-0081-1951 http://lattes.cnpq.br/0160662864316379

  4. Edney Leandro da Vitória, Federal University of Espírito Santo

    Graduado em Engenharia Agrícola pela Universidade Federal de Viçosa (1997), Mestrado em Engenharia Agrícola pela Universidade Federal de Viçosa (1999) e Doutorado em Engenharia Agrícola pela Universidade Federal de Viçosa (2010). Professor em dedicação exclusiva da Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Campus São Mateus, Brasil. No ensino atua como professor das disciplinas de Mecânica, Motores e Máquinas Agrícolas para a graduação em Agronomia e as disciplinas de Tecnologia de Aplicação de Defensivos Agrícolas, Agricultura de Precisão e Redes Neurais Aplicadas na Agricultura no Programa de Pós-Graduação em Agricultura Tropical (PPGAT/UFES). Coordenou o Programa de Pós-graduação em Agricultura TropicalPPGAT/UFES (2018/2020; 2020/2022 e 2022/2024). Atual Coordenador curso de graduação em Agronomia (2023-atual) . Desenvolve pesquisas na graduação e pós-graduação. Coordenador do Laboratório de Tecnologia de Aplicação Agrícola e do Laboratório de Estudos Agroambientais do CEUNES (PNIPE/MCTI). Editor Associado da Revista Frontiers in Plant Science. Consultor Ad hoc das revistas: Agronomy, Agriculture, Drones, Sustaibility, Frontiers in plant Saciene, CERES, Engenharia na Agricultura, Engenharia Agrícola, Coffe Science, Comunicata, Semina. Tem experiência na área de Engenharia Agrícola, com ênfase em Mecanização Agrícola, atuando principalmente nos seguintes temas: Desempenho Máquinas e Implementos agrícolas, Tecnologia de Aplicação de Defensivos Agrícolas e redes neurais aplicadas a agricultura de precisão. Desde de 2018 tem conduzido pesquisas básicas e avançadas na temática de tecnologia de aplicação de defensivos agrícolas por meio de aeronaves remotamente pilotada (drones). https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2268-6037

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Cover Image
Article cover from the Brazilian Journal of Production Engineering titled ‘Drones estão transformando a pesquisa em silvicultura’ (‘Drones are transforming research in forestry’), with the authors identified as ‘Ribeiro, Ribeiro, Nascimento & Vitória (2026)’. The image shows a drone in the foreground, partially out of focus, over a field, while a researcher wearing virtual-reality goggles operates equipment using a remote controller. A rural landscape with vegetation and a cloudy sky appears in the background. The multicolored hot-air balloon used in the journal’s visual identity appears in the upper left. Institutional logos for PPGCP, UFES, the Research Center for Production Systems Management, Production Engineering, and FAPES appear along the bottom. The bottom banner reads ‘Brazilian Journal of Production Engineering’.
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Published
2026-09-12
Issue
Vol. 12 No. 3 (2026): Regular Issue (July - September) Continuous Publication of Articles
Section
AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING
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Copyright (c) 2026 Ribeiro, J. V. O., Ribeiro, L. F. O., Nascimento, T. S. do, & Vitória, E. L. da.

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How to Cite

Ribeiro, J. V. O., Ribeiro, L. F. O., Nascimento, T. S. do, & Vitória, E. L. da. (2026). Use of remotely piloted aircraft in forestry: a bibliometric and scientometric analysis (2012-2024). Brazilian Journal of Production Engineering, 12(3), 16-27. https://doi.org/10.47456/bjpe.v12i3.51283