University of Tasmania PhD student Sean Krisanski has been named as one of the winners of the 2020 Science and Innovation Awards for Young People in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Mr Krisanski was recognised for his research into the development of an ‘arborist’ drone that can take samples from the forest canopy, giving scientists access to samples that until now haven’t been easily reachable. Source: Timberbiz
He said current methods of collecting these samples can be expensive, time consuming and dangerous.
“I will be designing a 3D-printed airframe which will protect the rotors and make the system fairly robust to the inevitable collisions with branches. There will also be a small saw integrated into the airframe for the actual cutting” he said.
Run by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES), the awards have seen 11 young agricultural researchers receive grants valued up to $22,000. The Forest and Wood Products award was funded by FWPA, which also selected Mr Krisanski as the recipient.
The grants will enable some of Australia’s brightest young scientists to undertake projects on emerging issues or innovative activities over the next 12 months, which will contribute to the success of Australia’s agriculture sector.
FWPA’s Managing Director, Ric Sinclair, said Mr Krasinski’s’ win is well-deserved and highlights the importance of young Australian scientists to the future of forestry.
“We extend our congratulations to Sean. It was an impressive field of candidates and the selection process was robust. Sponsoring this award aligns with FWPA’s commitment to supporting research and development within the forest and wood industry,” Mr Sinclair said.
“It’s inspiring to see so many young scientists working on such important projects. I am confident that the contribution made by these young leaders will advance the forestry industry and keep us at the forefront of research and development.”
