Forestry department receives unmanned drone from Hermes

Airport operator Hermes on Monday announced the donation unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to the forestry department as a contribution to the latter’s efforts in protecting the environment in Cyprus.

UAVs – more commonly known as drones – are aircraft without any human pilot, crew, or passengers on board that can be used for forest fire monitoring.

The UAV donated by Hermes was designed and manufactured by the Unmanned Systems Research Laboratory (USRL) of The Cyprus Institute as part of the efforts carried out by the Climate and Atmosphere Research Centre (CARE-C).

According to a forestry department statement, it will contribute to the protection and preservation of Cyprus’ forest resources.

“The use of modern technological means, particularly UAVs, is expected to significantly contribute to further enhancing the existing forest fire management system,” the forestry department head Charalambos Alexandrou said.

“This summer is expected to be particularly challenging regarding forest fires due to the mild winter we had. That is why the UAV is set to be particularly helpful for us.”

Hermes’ donation follows the initiative that took place in August 2022 called “The Green Lemonade”, through which airport operator staff members collected lemons from the 120 trees located close to the Larnaca airport in cooperation with Cypriot company Kean.

The proceeds from the sales were allocated to environmental initiatives, such as the donation of a thousand seedlings and shrubs to the public.

“We will continue to seek opportunities and allies to strengthen the efforts required for environmental protection and achieve a more sustainable and environmentally friendly aviation industry,” Maria Kouroupi, senior communication manager at Hermes said.