Researchers examined the use of Bluetooth low energy and ultra-wideband sensor systems to detect people in forest operations danger zones.
Every third fatal occupational accident in Austria is linked to forest operations. Demanding working conditions (cold temperatures, steep mountain slopes), and lack of hazard and safety awareness play a crucial role. A more detailed examination of fatal and severe accidents often revealed that many are linked to ignoring or underestimating danger zones
Forests are challenging workplace environments with rugged and steep terrains and large danger zones obscured by dense forest stands. Additionally, there are often restrictions on mobile communication networks, the Internet, or on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) reception. Therefore, technologies supporting the detection of people in danger zones have not been broadly applied in forestry.
During the research, two prototypes enabling people detection via ultra-wideband (UWB) and Bluetooth low energy (BLE) were evaluated. The precision, accuracy, detection distance, and detection rates of the prototypes were determined. Furthermore, the influence of the line of sight, that is, the visual path between two points, was considered. The UWB sensor allowed precise detection within the danger zones of 30 m (98 ft) and 50 m (164 ft) and is therefore well suited for use during felling with a chainsaw. The BLE sensor allowed presence detection even at greater distances and would be suitable for fully mechanized timber harvesting. However, BLE sensors still lack the ability to determine detection distances.
The research was titled “Use of Bluetooth low energy and ultra-wideband sensor systems to detect people in forest operations danger zones” and the authors were Hönigsberger, F., Gollob, C., Varch, T., Waldhäusl, D., Holzinger, A., & Stampfer, K. It was published in the International Journal of Forest Engineering, 36(2), 2025. Source