U.A.V., SO.N.A.R., D.E.M.s, and C.R.I.M.

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Material Aspects of Global Conflict" session, at the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

This paper explores the applications of modern technology to further the analyses and understanding of the consequences of global conflict. Partnered with the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Accounting Agency (DPAA), the Center for the Recovery and Identification of the Missing (CRIM) uses such technology to facilitate recovery missions in hard-to-reach landscapes. The rugged terrain CRIM often works in, and the physical challenges presented by these areas, has required adoption of different technologies in the recovery process. In mountainous landscapes, CRIM has conducted drone-based photography to digitally render the topography of cliff faces. Unity was then used to run predictive models that assessed the potential dispositions of remains. In more remote areas, where long treks along mountain paths make the transportation of heavy equipment impractical, cell phones replace drones and allow for the creation of Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) using photogrammetry. On occasion, CRIM and its partners conduct research on aircraft losses in coastal waters. These planes are still submerged, requiring sonar technology to indicate anomalies obscured by dark, murky waters. These examples represent some of the ways in which CRIM has used modern technology to approach challenges encountered during the early stages of recovery missions.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Material Aspects of Global Conflict   •
• Society for American Archaeology 90th Annual Meeting, Denver, CO (2025)

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 51906