UAV-based 3D Modeling of Excavations in Mayapán’s Periphery

Summary

During our 2015 and 2016 field seasons, we mapped and created 3D models of numerous excavation sites in the region surrounding Mayapán in the Northern Yucatán. Complete horizontal excavations of several rural house groups were conducted. We used unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs/drones) to carry photographic equipment to collect both vertical and oblique photos as well as videos. The resulting images were processed in photogrammetric software to generate orthorectified airphoto mosaics and 3D models of each fieldwork location. These products were integrated into a Geographical Information System (GIS) to evaluate their accuracy and precision, and ultimately to facilitate analysis. In this poster, we outline the technology and data processing workflow used, display resulting 3D models, and report results of tests of product quality. The horizontally excavated sites include small groups of residential architecture in rural areas in Mayapán’s periphery. The sites vary in size and types of architecture as well as status of preservation of features.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 17364