Evaluation of 3D Models of Archaeological Remains of Almenara Castle Using Two UAVs with Different Navigation Systems
Improvements in the navigation systems incorporated into unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and new sensors are improving the quality of 3D mapping results. In this study, two flights were compared over the archaeological remains of the castle of Almenara, situated in Cuenca, Spain. We performed one wi...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-9408/8/1/22 |
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| author | Juan López-Herrera Serafín López-Cuervo Enrique Pérez-Martín Miguel Ángel Maté-González Consuelo Vara Izquierdo José Martínez Peñarroya Tomás R. Herrero-Tejedor |
| author_facet | Juan López-Herrera Serafín López-Cuervo Enrique Pérez-Martín Miguel Ángel Maté-González Consuelo Vara Izquierdo José Martínez Peñarroya Tomás R. Herrero-Tejedor |
| author_sort | Juan López-Herrera |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Improvements in the navigation systems incorporated into unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and new sensors are improving the quality of 3D mapping results. In this study, two flights were compared over the archaeological remains of the castle of Almenara, situated in Cuenca, Spain. We performed one with a DJI Phantom 4 (DJI Innovations Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China) and the other with a Matrice 300 RTK (DJI Innovations Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China) and the new Zenmuse P1 camera (45 mp, RGB sensor). With the help of the new software incorporated into the Zenmuse P1 camera gimbal, we could significantly reduce the flight time. We analysed the data obtained with these two UAVs and the built-in RGB sensors, comparing the flight time, the point cloud, and its resolution and obtaining a three-dimensional reconstruction of the castle. We describe the work and the flights carried out, depending on the type of UAV and its RTK positioning system. The improvement in the positioning system provides improvements in flight accuracy and data acquisition. We compared the results obtained in similar studies, and thanks to the advances in UAVs and their sensors with better resolution, we managed to reduce the data collection time and obtained 3D models with the same results as those from other types of sensors. The accuracies obtained with the RTK and the P1 camera are very high. The volumes calculated for a future archaeological excavation are precise, and the 3D models obtained by these means are excellent for the preservation of the cultural asset. These models can have various uses, such as the preservation of an asset of cultural interest, or even its dissemination and analysis in various studies. We propose to use this technology for similar studies of archaeological documentation and the three-dimensional reconstruction and visualisation of cultural heritage in virtual visits on the web. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-71820bfd6f664bc497731365ad7f25fd |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2571-9408 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heritage |
| spelling | doaj-art-71820bfd6f664bc497731365ad7f25fd2025-01-24T13:34:22ZengMDPI AGHeritage2571-94082025-01-01812210.3390/heritage8010022Evaluation of 3D Models of Archaeological Remains of Almenara Castle Using Two UAVs with Different Navigation SystemsJuan López-Herrera0Serafín López-Cuervo1Enrique Pérez-Martín2Miguel Ángel Maté-González3Consuelo Vara Izquierdo4José Martínez Peñarroya5Tomás R. Herrero-Tejedor6Departamento de Ingeniería Agroforestal, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, SpainDepartamento de Ingeniería Cartográfica, Geodésica y Fotogrametría, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros en Topografía, Geodesia y Cartografía, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28031 Madrid, SpainDepartamento de Ingeniería Agroforestal, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, SpainDepartamento de Ingeniería Cartográfica y del Terreno, Escuela Politécnica Superior de Ávila, Universidad de Salamanca, 05003 Ávila, SpainCastrvm Patrimonio Histórico SL, 28008 Madrid, SpainCastrvm Patrimonio Histórico SL, 28008 Madrid, SpainDepartamento de Ingeniería Agroforestal, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, SpainImprovements in the navigation systems incorporated into unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and new sensors are improving the quality of 3D mapping results. In this study, two flights were compared over the archaeological remains of the castle of Almenara, situated in Cuenca, Spain. We performed one with a DJI Phantom 4 (DJI Innovations Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China) and the other with a Matrice 300 RTK (DJI Innovations Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China) and the new Zenmuse P1 camera (45 mp, RGB sensor). With the help of the new software incorporated into the Zenmuse P1 camera gimbal, we could significantly reduce the flight time. We analysed the data obtained with these two UAVs and the built-in RGB sensors, comparing the flight time, the point cloud, and its resolution and obtaining a three-dimensional reconstruction of the castle. We describe the work and the flights carried out, depending on the type of UAV and its RTK positioning system. The improvement in the positioning system provides improvements in flight accuracy and data acquisition. We compared the results obtained in similar studies, and thanks to the advances in UAVs and their sensors with better resolution, we managed to reduce the data collection time and obtained 3D models with the same results as those from other types of sensors. The accuracies obtained with the RTK and the P1 camera are very high. The volumes calculated for a future archaeological excavation are precise, and the 3D models obtained by these means are excellent for the preservation of the cultural asset. These models can have various uses, such as the preservation of an asset of cultural interest, or even its dissemination and analysis in various studies. We propose to use this technology for similar studies of archaeological documentation and the three-dimensional reconstruction and visualisation of cultural heritage in virtual visits on the web.https://www.mdpi.com/2571-9408/8/1/22virtual archaeology3D modellingUAVphotogrammetrycultural heritage |
| spellingShingle | Juan López-Herrera Serafín López-Cuervo Enrique Pérez-Martín Miguel Ángel Maté-González Consuelo Vara Izquierdo José Martínez Peñarroya Tomás R. Herrero-Tejedor Evaluation of 3D Models of Archaeological Remains of Almenara Castle Using Two UAVs with Different Navigation Systems Heritage virtual archaeology 3D modelling UAV photogrammetry cultural heritage |
| title | Evaluation of 3D Models of Archaeological Remains of Almenara Castle Using Two UAVs with Different Navigation Systems |
| title_full | Evaluation of 3D Models of Archaeological Remains of Almenara Castle Using Two UAVs with Different Navigation Systems |
| title_fullStr | Evaluation of 3D Models of Archaeological Remains of Almenara Castle Using Two UAVs with Different Navigation Systems |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluation of 3D Models of Archaeological Remains of Almenara Castle Using Two UAVs with Different Navigation Systems |
| title_short | Evaluation of 3D Models of Archaeological Remains of Almenara Castle Using Two UAVs with Different Navigation Systems |
| title_sort | evaluation of 3d models of archaeological remains of almenara castle using two uavs with different navigation systems |
| topic | virtual archaeology 3D modelling UAV photogrammetry cultural heritage |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-9408/8/1/22 |
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