Cheap ROV-based Photogrammetry Survey Methodology

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Digital Approaches in Nautical Archaeology", at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

In the past 5 years small ROVs, or underwater drones, have become an inexpensive and accessible survey tool for maritime archaeologists. There are currently many capable models less than $3,000 USD that can operate at depths of 100m/330ft. The authors explored the possibility of using these affordable underwater drones for photogrammetry surveys on underwater archaeological sites. From 2020 to 2022, the authors deployed underwater drones in various shipwreck sites across Japan and the United States. Various configurations of mounted cameras and lighting were also tested. Results of those trial expeditions were successful, and the authors found that they could obtain highly diagnostic archaeological information from the resulting 3D photogrammetry models. With this methodology, maritime archaeologists can survey and study shipwreck sites deeper than 60m without the concerns of divers’ safety and operational costs. In this talk the authors shall share the methodology and discuss its further possibility for non-intrusive deep-water site-monitoring systems.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Digital Approaches in Nautical Archaeology   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2023

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Nicole Haddow