EN
The development of technology and the increasing availability of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) on the civil market, along with the growing offer of open−source software for modeling based on aerial photos open new possibilities for conducting analyzes of felling area. The research aims to present the use of UAVs in the analysis of the harvesting area, especially the distribution and condition of the network of skidding trails. The research covered 6 logging areas in the Gidle Forest District in south part of Poland. Flights and photo recording were made by using the DJI Phantom 4 Advanced UAV. The analysis was performed with the use of Open Drone maps and QGIS software. The research was based on the analysis of orthophotomosaics. Analyzing the obtained data, the real area of the clear−cuts was determined. The obtained values were compared with the values declared at the cutting planning stage. The area and location of the machine routes were determined. The obtained data were statistically analyzed in order to determine the significance of the differences. Also the correlation between the size of soil damage and the parameters of the analyzed area was tested. The differences between the area planned to be cut and actually cut were found, but they turned not to be significant. It was determined that the average length of skidding trails per 1 ha of the studied area is 0.89 km, while the distances between the trails varies from 4.04 to 24.44 m. On the tested clear−cuts there was a minimal presence of places where the soil was damaged in such a way that the mineral soil layer was exposed.