Drones used to target giant hogweed in Highlands

Aerial drones are being used for the first time in the Highlands to seek out giant hogweed and other invasive plant species so they can be destroyed.

The plant - Heracleum mantegazzianum - spreads at aggressive rates and its sap can cause painful burns on the skin and even lead to blindness.

The Findhorn, Nairn and Lossie Fisheries Trust (FNLFT) is behind the pilot scheme.

The FNLFT said the results so far had been impressive.

Trust director Bob Laughton said the work was helping them map where the invasive species were present on the river systems, and had given them a better insight into the worst affected areas.