Archeological sites, although preserved at many locations throughout the world, are constantly at risk for decay and dilapidation. This past October, however, as part of an international project, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, were used to capture data that will help in the efforts for archaeological preservation and restoration.
As part of the Volterra-Detroit Foundation’s project, the “International Reality Capture Workshop,” both students and professionals worked together in the Italian city of Volterra. According to the Foundation, “The main purpose of this workshop is to provide an International educational experience in which [participants] will learn to use innovative reality capture technologies and collaboratively produce three dimensional computer models of the ancient City of Volterra, its archaeological remains and some of its treasured artwork.”
Assisted by the help of Richard Celender, Vice President of Civil and Environmental Consultants in Pittsburgh and a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) licensed pilot, the group used drones along with laser scanners and cameras to create highly detailed Building Information Models (BIM), 3D mesh models, and animated videos.
“The scans and models captured for this project can help with future restoration efforts or help recreate an archaeological treasure if needed to see where a column fell, to go back to that exact point in time, to say, ‘Here’s where the columns were,’ and to then put them back in scale—that’s pretty incredible.” —Celender
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