Specialist Drone Survey — Cardiff University, Germany

I was brought onto a Cardiff University excavation in Germany as a specialist drone surveyor after the team had encountered several difficulties recording the site. The excavation was situated on a hillside within a beech plantation, presenting two main challenges. The sloping terrain was causing problems with accurately scaling and georeferencing the photogrammetric survey, while the surrounding trees and overhanging branches made drone flying particularly difficult.

Having encountered similar problems on previous surveys, I was familiar with the limitations and understood how to work around them. I developed a survey strategy that addressed both the difficult flying conditions and the problems with georeferencing, allowing me to safely capture the necessary imagery and produce accurately scaled plans of the excavation.

The team had begun hand planning the site because of these difficulties, a process requiring several archaeologists working over multiple days. By comparison, I was able to complete the drone photography for the entire excavation in approximately 20 minutes. From this I produced several detailed orthomosaics and plans, which were subsequently checked against measurements on the ground and found to be accurate to within a few centimetres.

The team were very pleased with the results, and my survey methods are now being incorporated into the methodology for future excavations. This project was a particularly good example of how experience, planning and an understanding of the technology can overcome difficult site conditions, while saving considerable time and producing an accurate archaeological record.