High-resolution drone lidar for Mediterranean archaeology: point classification, feature detection, and the potential for cultural heritage management

Abstract

The introduction of airborne laser scanning (ALS) or lidar into the archaeologist’s ever-expanding toolkit has profoundly impacted our understanding of premodern landscapes. Most notably used for the detection of archaeological sites in densely vegetated environments, airborne lidar has been an effective tool for recording the surface topography of a landscape beneath the upper canopies of forests or jungles. While the collection of aerial lidar data for archaeology has traditionally required significant funding and collaboration with specialist firms, recent developments in lightweight and affordable sensors mounted on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones have increased access to lidar data collection. With drone lidar, archaeologists can now capture smaller areas of interest at much higher resolutions than traditional airborne lidar, enabling precise and efficient documentation of landscapes with complex topography or ephemeral archaeological features. With readily available lidar sensors and medium-payload consumer drones, archaeologists are now able to bring lidar data from new regions into dialogue with more established zones of lidar-based research. Additionally, the higher resolution afforded by low-altitude flights and direct control over data collection enables archaeologists to explore innovative applications of aerial lidar and pose new questions about premodern landscapes.