More than a flight: The extensive contributions of UAV flights to archaeological research – The case study of curium site in Cyprus

Abstract

The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is a cost-effective technique for archaeologists that can be used to survey large archaeological areas in relation to traditional methods. Since UAVs are capable of surveying archaeological areas from above, datasets derived on this platform can be used to generate accurate orthophotos, digital terrain models (DTMs) and can generate a variety of datasets that can be used to document and identify archaeological areas. In addition, various sensors can be added to the UAV platform including multi-spectral, infrared and thermal cameras. This paper provides a detailed presentation of the application of UAVs using a commercial high resolution camera and details post-processing techniques applied to generate an accurate orthophoto and DTM to be used to survey the archaeological site and its landscape. A total of 331 images generated from a UAV survey of a portion of the site of Curium in Cyprus are used to illustrate methods of site documentation and archaeological survey to identify buried remains.