Optimizing UAV Systems for Rapid Survey and Reconstruction of Large Scale Cultural Heritage Sites

Abstract

Recording geometrically and aesthetically accurate models of cultural heritage sites is important for both their conservation and understanding of historical importance. Rapid imaging systems are required to capture models efficiently so that large sites can be documented with sufficient resolution. Increasing availability of consumer-level drones has fostered digital data collection to replace traditional surveying methods. While such systems allow photogrammetric data to be gathered, they often prove inadequate for large scale rapid imaging. We propose an aerial system infrastructure based on: adapted aerial platforms; optimizations for flight path generation and UAV operations; high-bandwidth LTE transmission; methods of efficient point cloud generation, to rapidly document large scale heritage sites.