From druids to drones: this is how the day in Samos unfolded
On June 12, we at BENIU participated in a very special event organized by the Galician Association of Chestnuts and Soutos (AGCS) in the municipality of Samos (Lugo). An event that brought together tradition and innovation under a very symbolic slogan: “From druids to drones.”
The event featured a practical demonstration of the aerial application of biostimulants on chestnut trees using drones, a technique that we at BENIU have been developing in various regions of Spain.

The challenge of the Galician chestnut
Galicia has more than 40,000 hectares of chestnut groves (soutos), but a large part of them are in a state of abandonment or low productivity. Factors such as the aging of the rural population, lack of professionalization, and especially diseases and pests (ink disease, canker, gall wasp, Xyleborus…) have drastically reduced local chestnut production.
In 2023, it’s estimated that half of the European chestnut production was affected by fungi, and in Galicia, many historically productive areas barely reached marketable yields.
What did we do in Samos?
The trial was carried out in a souto managed by Saúl Sánchez, a young livestock farmer and chestnut grower who practices regenerative farming with cachena cows and is actively working to restore centuries-old chestnut groves. At BENIU, we applied a foliar biostimulant supplied by Agrobío SL using one of our drones.
Technical data:
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Product: Agrocomplex – Fortifying biostimulant
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Application type: 40L aerial foliar spray
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Technology: DJI AGRAS T25
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Objective: boost vegetative vigor and improve resistance to stress and fungal diseases
Read the full article on Campo Galego.
Why use drones in forest treatments?
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They access steep or muddy areas
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They prevent soil compaction and damage
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They increase application efficiency in tall canopies
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They save time and reduce risks for operators
At BENIU, we remain committed to bringing technological solutions to Galician forests, combining technical expertise, environmental commitment, and new ways to manage forest resources.
Want to learn more about forest treatments with drones?
📩 Contact us and we’ll help you design a solution tailored to your chestnut grove.