Can drones help restore forests damaged by climate change? In western Germany, a team initially used drones to scatter tree seeds quickly across hard-to-reach terrain. But drought, extreme soil temperatures and poor seed-to-soil contact meant too few seedlings survived. After years of trial and error, the team turned to a specially adapted tracked machine that loosens the soil, sows seeds and firms the ground in one pass. Combined with improved cellulose seed coatings, the method could help create diverse mixed forests with naturally developed root systems. Forest owners are now testing whether direct seeding can build more resilient woodland.