Mapping Livestock Production Properties in the Caatinga Biome: Application of Drone Technology for Environmental Diagnostics in Semi-Arid Herds
Rural land management; Technologies for the semi-arid region; Agricultural sustainability; Multispectral remote sensing; Environmental degradation.
This dissertation proposes the use of remotely piloted aircraft (RPAs), with emphasis on digital photogrammetry, as a tool for environmental diagnostics in livestock production systems in the Caatinga biome. Considering international demands for socio-environmental traceability—especially following the enforcement of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR)—the study aims to map vegetation cover and assess productive and sanitary conditions of farms in the semi-arid region of Piauí, Brazil. The methodology involved low-cost drone-based data collection and vegetation index analysis to evaluate environmental conservation in areas dedicated to cattle, goat, and sheep farming. Results confirm the technical feasibility of remote sensing to support environmental certification of animal products, contributing to regulatory compliance, environmental impact mitigation, and the valorization of livestock production chains in the context of the Caatinga biome.