More than 90 hectares seeded and over 120 million triticale seeds distributed across burned hillsides in Vilamartín de Valdeorras, Ourense, Galicia. The CoberDron project brings together BENIU Soluciones and Fundación Matrix to support post-fire restoration through drone seeding, with scientific monitoring linked to the University of Vigo.
The first campaign, carried out in autumn 2025, established cereal on slopes with difficult access. Monitoring documents establishment and early growth; measuring how much soil the intervention helps retain remains an important evaluation task.
CoberDron at a glance
- Area: over 90 hectares across eight sites in Vilamartín de Valdeorras.
- Seed: more than 120 million triticale seeds, a wheat–rye hybrid cereal.
- Delivery: under two weeks, on working days that were not always consecutive.
- Altitude: operations between 550 and 1,500 metres.
- Purpose: encourage temporary herbaceous cover and root development to help protect soil after wildfire.
The area, seed and delivery figures come from Fundación Matrix’s technical monitoring report, published in January 2026. The eight sites are also described in La Región’s August 2026 report.
After the fire, the challenge is to retain the soil
The Larouco wildfire of August 2025 left extensive slopes in Valdeorras without vegetation cover. On exposed ground, rainfall can mobilise ash and fine particles, increase runoff and remove part of the most fertile soil horizon. Slope, fire severity and rainfall all influence this risk.
Across the areas studied by the CoberDron team, more than 90% of the seeded surface had slopes steeper than 30°. Working from the air provides access where ground machinery is severely constrained and avoids creating wheel ruts on the affected terrain.
Who is involved?
CoberDron combines the operational experience of BENIU Soluciones with the technical and scientific work of Fundación Matrix. The operation was supported by Vilamartín de Valdeorras Town Council and the Río Farelos y Porqueira Common Woodland Community.
The monitoring report is authored by Javier Montalvo, professor of Ecology at the University of Vigo and director of Fundación Matrix; Anderson Univio, geographic and environmental engineer; and David Blanco, forest management and environmental health specialist and CEO of BENIU Soluciones.
The aim is an initial stage of restoration of wildfire-affected land: helping retain soil while vegetation develops. Establishing cereal does not, by itself, amount to restoring a forest.
How drone seeding was carried out
Triticale for temporary protective cover
The team used certified seed of triticale (× Triticosecale), selecting a hardy, cold-tolerant winter variety without fungicide treatment. The choice was intended to support establishment under the conditions of the operation. In the local trials, triticale and rye showed faster root development than the oat species studied.
Species and seed-lot selection need to suit each site. Grain size, viability and purity affect the quantity required and flight logistics.
Slope changes the effective seeding rate
Drone seeding and solid dispersal uses a metering hopper and planned flight routes. Achieving suitable distribution requires accounting for terrain: one square metre measured in plan view corresponds to approximately 1.4 m² of hillside surface at a 45° slope.
A rate calculated solely on horizontal area can therefore be diluted over the actual ground surface. The report uses 150 seeds/m² and different seed-quality values as a worked example; these should not be read as a single rate or as the certified characteristics of all seed used in the campaign.
What was observed during the first month?
Establishment and early roots
Fundación Matrix’s monitoring describes fairly uniform seed distribution and practically complete germination under the conditions observed, helped by well-distributed autumn rainfall. No losses attributable to wildlife consumption were detected. These are observations from this campaign, not a guarantee of performance at every site or in every year.
Seedlings developed four to six initial roots. This anchoring matters for soil stability, although observing roots does not directly quantify avoided erosion. Comparative trials with other cereals provide additional information and need to be distinguished from measurements of drone-seeded triticale.
Altitude influenced growth
At the sites studied, above-ground growth was lower at higher altitude. The report records the following observations and temperature estimates:
| Parameter | Approximately 700 m | Approximately 1,000 m |
|---|---|---|
| Seedling height | About 8 cm | About 4.5 cm |
| Mean daily temperature 10 cm above the soil | 9.6°C | 7.5°C |
| Mean temperature at 10 cm depth | 11.7°C | 9.6°C |
One month after seeding, vegetation cover remained below 5% at the sites studied. Triticale accounted for 81–93% of relative frequency among the herbaceous species observed: this describes its dominance among species, not the percentage of ground covered.
Monitoring in summer 2026
In August 2026, a year after the fire, La Región documented cereal development in the seeded areas. This adds to the information available on the first campaign, while cover persistence and its relationship with native vegetation recovery still need assessment.
Seeding and mulching: what each technique contributes
Mulching involves spreading a protective material, such as straw, over the ground. It provides physical cover from the time it is placed; seeding needs moisture, germination and growing time. Choosing or combining techniques requires assessing erosion risk and the characteristics of each slope.
The November 2025 technical publication discusses potential productivity and cost advantages of drone seeding and presents local trials with different rates and ground covers. Operational comparisons do not demonstrate equivalent erosion control: hectares seeded and soil effectively protected are different measures.
“The drone never touches the ground, it doesn’t get stuck and it leaves no wheel ruts.”
David Blanco, CEO of BENIU Soluciones, interviewed by La Región (translated from Spanish).
What still needs to be measured?
- Avoided erosion: measure soil losses and compare them with reference areas.
- Vegetation development: assess cereal persistence and the recovery of native species.
- Performance under different conditions: test dry autumns, other slope aspects and different soils.
- Operational refinement: optimise rates, flights and logistics for each terrain and scale.
Forest stand analysis and multispectral remote sensing can complement fieldwork to track vegetation cover. Measuring soil loss also requires specific erosion indicators.
Frequently asked questions about post-fire seeding
When should seeding take place after a wildfire?
Assess the intervention early and select a window with sufficient moisture and suitable flight conditions. Timing should reflect heavy-rainfall risk, temperature and the species selected. This campaign took place in autumn 2025; the report includes November and December seeding and notes that earlier establishment would have supported initial growth.
Can it be used on any burned hillside?
Each area needs technical and environmental assessment. A drone’s ability to reach a slope does not by itself establish that seeding is the right intervention. Natural regeneration, slope, wind, loading access and species selection all need consideration.
What permissions does drone seeding require?
The operation must meet the applicable aviation requirements, alongside relevant land-use and environmental conditions. AESA states that the open category does not allow dropping articles; seed-dispersal operations must fall within the appropriate regime, such as the specific category. Flight authorisation does not replace other requirements for the intervention.
Does establishing cereal replace forest recovery?
No. It is a temporary-cover measure with an initial soil-protection purpose. Recovering a forest ecosystem takes time, monitoring and decisions suited to the vegetation and the site.
Need an assessment for a post-fire restoration project?
At BENIU Soluciones, we assess terrain and plan drone seeding around its relief, the project’s objectives and operational conditions. If you manage a wildfire-affected area, we can study the feasibility of an intervention and its monitoring needs.
Request a technical assessment
You can also read our article on how drone seeding helps restore Galicia after wildfires.
Sources and documentation
- Montalvo, J.; Univio, A.; Blanco, D. Cereales y drones: aliados clave para restaurar montes quemados en Galicia. Fundación Matrix, January 2026 (Spanish).
- Montalvo, J.; Blanco, D. Siembra de gramíneas para restaurar montes degradados por incendios: ventajas e innovación tecnológica en Galicia. Fundación Matrix, November 2025 (Spanish).
- Rivas Iglesias, C. Lluvia de semillas sobre tierra ourensana quemada por los incendios forestales. La Región, 10 August 2026 (Spanish).
