Deforestation is a growing issue and downs around 10 billion trees each year. Not only that, but replanting trees can be slow and expensive, barely putting a dent in the damage done.

One startup, however, wants to use technology to plant trees on a massive scale, replacing hired humans, who are slow and pricey.

The company is called BioCarbon Engineering, and it says that drones are a great way to cover ravaged woodlands with seeds that could repopulate an entire area's tree population.

The drones could be used to map the topography of an area, as well as the nutrients of that area. That information could then be put into a learning algorithm to generate a "planting platform." After that, the information is uploaded to a drone, which flies 10 feet above the ground and fires seed pods at different pre-determined locations.

The drones could be used as a tool by farmers and reforestation teams, as a replacement for a spade.

"Drones are a tool and you use them when it's the right location and for the right reason," said BioCarbon CEO Lauren Fletcher. "It doesn't mean replacement."

The team presented the new system at the United Nations Headquarters as part of the Solutions Summit and was one of the 14 winning startups that was asked to present at the summit. BioCarbon is now eyeing expansion and has committed to planting trees in South Africa.

Via: Gizmodo