September 2025
Forestry companies have historically been slower than other sectors to adopt digital technologies. However, this is changing as operational, sustainability, and market pressures intensify. Tools such as drones, LiDAR, GIS, remote sensing, and advanced analytics are increasingly being piloted and deployed to support precise mapping, real-time monitoring of forest health, and early detection of pests, diseases, and fire risks. Automation and autonomous vehicles are also helping reduce time and physical risk in tasks such as planting and harvesting. Digital systems enhance data integration, enabling more informed decision-making and more efficient resource allocation. Nonetheless, adoption remains gradual due to high implementation costs, deployment challenges in remote areas, the need for ongoing staff training, and the transition from manual to digital processes. As these technologies mature, they offer forestry companies greater operational control, improved productivity, and more sustainable forest regeneration with reduced environmental impact
Private 5G (P5G) is emerging as a potentially important technology in modern forestry, helping address connectivity challenges in remote areas where public cellular networks are inadequate or unavailable. These networks provide stable, low-latency, high-bandwidth communication, which is critical for real-time remote operation, monitoring, and automation.
While early pilot projects show promise, P5G adoption in forestry remains in its infancy and faces several hurdles, including the high cost of deploying infrastructure in remote locations, the complexity of the technology, and the need to integrate it with existing systems and established operational workflows.
P5G networks are being explored for a range of critical forestry applications, including continuous forest health monitoring, early fire detection, and more efficient resource
These capabilities also enhance worker safety and operational efficiency by allowing operators to control equipment remotely through VR and desktop interfaces, reducing exposure to hazardous environments. In addition, P5G supports advanced automation and digitalization, including autonomous forestry machines and the integration of augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and AI-driven forest management tools.
The potential of P5G is being demonstrated in pilot projects. In Sweden, for instance, drone-based P5G networks are extending coverage into remote forest areas, enabling seamless and precise remote control of forestry equipment.
In Sweden, several pioneering initiatives are showcasing how P5G networks can enhance forestry operations. AirForestry, a Swedish technology company, is developing large P5G-enabled drones for precision tree thinning. In a pilot project, these drones are remotely operated over a P5G network deployed by Tele2 and Nokia. Portable antennas provide stable, low-latency connectivity in remote forest areas, enabling accurate harvesting without disturbing the ground.
Fujitsu and Skogforsk (the Forestry Research Institute of Sweden) have developed a P5G teleoperation system that enables operators to remotely control heavy forestry machinery using VR headsets and desktop interfaces, thereby improving safety and productivity, and laying the groundwork for future integration with AI, drones, and IoT.
Meanwhile, Telia and its partners have showcased drones equipped with portable 5G base stations that extend connectivity deep into forested areas. This setup enables the remote operation of forestry equipment from distances of up to 50 miles, significantly improving access and safety in previously hard-to-reach locations.
Leading forestry companies in Sweden, including SCA, Fiskarheden, and Stora Enso (a Finnish firm with major Swedish operations), are piloting P5G networks to advance their digitization and automation strategies. SCA is using P5G to enable the remote control of heavy machinery and extend network coverage via drones, with the objective of supporting autonomous forestry vehicles and improving operator assistance. Stora Enso is leveraging 5G for remote monitoring through 360-degree cameras, AR/VR-based training, and trials of
Forestry is beginning to embrace digital technologies in response to growing operational, environmental, and market pressures. Tools such as drones, LiDAR, GIS, and advanced analytics are being used for precision mapping, forest health monitoring, and early risk detection, while automation and autonomous vehicles are improving efficiency and safety. Adoption remains gradual, limited by high costs, deployment challenges in remote areas, and the shift from manual processes.
P5G is emerging as a key enabler, providing low-latency, high-bandwidth connectivity where public networks are unavailable. P5G supports real-time monitoring, remote machinery operation, precision harvesting, and advanced digital tools, including AR, VR, and AI-driven forest management.
Sweden is leading in P5G forestry innovation. Projects by AirForestry, Fujitsu, Skogforsk, and Telia are demonstrating applications ranging from drone-based thinning to VR-controlled heavy machinery and mobile 5G base stations. Companies like SCA, Fiskarheden, and Stora Enso are piloting P5G to support autonomous vehicles, replace Wi-Fi, and enhance operator support.
Though still in early stages, P5G shows potential to drive safer, more efficient, and more sustainable forestry operations.
