The Map Results of an Integrated UAV-Based Remote Sensing Platform in the Northern Yucatán

Summary

We report the results of testing a UAV-borne LiDAR and multispectral mapping system for archaeological mapping and modeling at the city of Mayapán, Mexico, located 40km south of modern Mérida. Mayapán was the largest Postclassic political capital and was one of the most densely nucleated of all Maya cities. The initial test is in an area adjacent to the south side of Mayapán’s monumental center. Previous research indicates the existence of a dense and complex system of residential and public architecture covered by low dense surface vegetation and a high forest canopy. Additional zones were randomly selected based on types of surface vegetation. The resulting data are processed in a variety of geographical information systems, photogrammetric software, and 3D modeling applications to generate final maps and models of the study areas. We compare these products with previous maps of the region, including those of the Carnegie Project from the late 1950’s, total station and GPS-based maps, and a digital elevation model from the 2013 Mayapán LiDAR Mapping Project.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

Keywords

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 21540