Hyundai IONIQ 9 Seed Ball Drone Station Reforestation
Hyundai Motor Company has created a revolutionary tool for ecological restoration, reimagining their flagship electric SUV as the IONIQ 9 Seed Ball Drone Station. This mobile hub uses drones to disperse seed balls to revitalize forests with unprecedented efficiency.


Hyundai IONIQ 9 Seed Ball Drone Station Reforestation
Developed with Guru E&T, a reforestation focused startup, the IONIQ 9 Seed Ball Drone Station turns a family sized electric SUV into a command center. A fold out platform in the trunk is a drone launch and landing pad, the rear cabin is a high tech workspace with a swivel seat, dual monitors and a dedicated computer for real time mission management. The SUV’s off road capability gets you to areas where traditional planting crews can’t.

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Hyundai IONIQ 9 Seed Ball Drone Station Reforestation
The IONIQ 9’s vehicle to load (V2L) system powers the operation, drawing energy from the SUV’s battery to power the drones without external generators. This clean and quiet setup minimizes noise and vibration and preserves fragile ecosystems. Hyundai’s commitment to sustainability means the system restores without disrupting the environment it’s trying to heal.

Hyundai IONIQ 9 Seed Ball Drone Station Reforestation
At the heart is a large drone that scatters seed balls – clay spheres filled with soil, organic matter and native seeds – to areas that are hard to reach like steep slopes or fire ravaged zones. This allows for rapid large scale planting, covering vast areas much faster than manual methods and promoting biodiversity. Hyundai’s system makes reforestation seamless with the potential for big impact.


The IONIQ 9 works with the IONIQ 5 Monitoring Drone Station launched in 2023 which focuses on surveillance and data collection. Together under Hyundai’s Smart Forest Restoration Program the IONIQ 5 identifies priority areas and the IONIQ 9 plants, streamlining the restoration process. In Uljin they’re already working on wildfire scarred areas and plan to expand across South Korea’s East Coast.

Part of Hyundai’s IONIQ Forest project launched in 2016 this initiative engages communities in 13 countries including the US, Brazil and Vietnam to build forests that address environmental and social needs. The Uljin effort is a key part of this and Hyundai is looking to roll out the drone stations globally.