The assessment and management of plant invasions with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. The Yucca gloriosa case, Italy

Invasive Alien Plants (IAPs) represent a severe threat to biodiversity and the functioning of crucial ecosystems such as coastal dunes. In this work, the Yucca gloriosa invasion along Italy’s Mediterranean coastal dunes was used as a case study to explore the potential of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). High-resolution images were collected during different seasons (spring: pre-flowering and fall: flowering stage) for detecting, mapping, and managing this IAP. Due to its peculiar foliar characteristics, Y. gloriosa is particularly suitable for assessing this UAV technique. We suggest springtime for data collection because light conditions are ideal and shading effects are minimal. Moreover, long-term dynamics of the Y. gloriosa invasion after plant removal over the last 10–15 years were investigated. The information presented here is the first step in the future development of an early detection program to manage with this IAP problem in the study area.