1. DRONES IN ARCHAELOGY: Integrated Data Capture, Processing, and Dissemination in the al-Ula Valley, Saudi Arabia.
- Author
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Smith, Neil G., Passone, Luca, al-Said, Said, al-Farhan, Mohamed, and Levy, Thomas E.
- Subjects
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DRONE aircraft in archaeology , *AERIAL photography in archaeology , *ARCHAEOLOGY , *THREE-dimensional imaging in archaeology , *ARCHAEOLOGICAL excavations , *ARCHAEOLOGICAL databases - Abstract
Over the past year, our team has been developing a complete work-flow for field cyber-archaeology incorporating UAV technology. We conduct automated aerial 3D scanning using multi-rotor copters. A joint archaeological and computer vision project was initiated to digitally capture the ruins and excavations of ancient Dedan in Saudi Arabia. The project focused on previous seasons' excavations and the ancient Lihyanite "Lion Tombs" carved into the nearby cliff faces. The site was used as a test bed to validate the potential of UAV technology for rapid cultural heritage documentation. By using a combination of non-invasive 3D scanning techniques we can digitally preserve the site as it appears shortly after each season of excavation, document its inevitable decay, and provide objective datasets for future analysis and study. The integrated approach has allowed us to successfully provide a key base dataset that can be expanded as excavations continue over future seasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2014
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