D Archaeological Documentation Using UAV Photogrammetry
A Case Study of Caesarea Germanicia [?]
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12430306 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Oktay Dumankaya (0000-0001-9007-0536, Faculty of Humanities and Social Science, Department of Archaeology Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University Kahramanmaraş Türkiye, corresponding author), Çağlar Akdağ (0000-0003-3017-3706, Faculty of Letters, Department of Archaeology Selçuk University Konya Türkiye) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 33 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 203-213 |
| Publication date | 2025-11-21 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Archaeological Prospection (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1075-2196 • E-ISSN: 1099-0763 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1002/arp.70017 |
| OpenAlex | W4416534649 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 32 |
This study presents a comprehensive evaluation of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)‐assisted photogrammetry in documenting an archaeological reserve area believed to be part of the ancient settlement of Caesarea Germanicia, currently surrounded by contemporary urban fabric and dense vegetation. The assessment focuses on six key criteria: accessibility and limitations, data density, time efficiency, output quality, spatial accuracy and cost. The research explores whether UAV technology can outperform conventional ground‐based documentation methods—such as total station and manual surveying—across these key criteria. Low‐altitude flights conducted with a rotary‐wing UAV produced high‐resolution imagery at 1.96 mm/pixel, which was processed into orthophotos and three‐dimensional models (3D). These datasets effectively captured the site's topography, architectural layout and micro‐scale surface traces in high detail. Despite obstructions caused by modern structures and dense vegetation, submetric spatial accuracy was achieved without the use of ground control points (GCPs), utilizing GNSS‐based georeferencing. Compared to traditional systems, which often face limitations in setup, line of sight and site access, UAV photogrammetry enabled fast, low‐cost, noninvasive and high‐quality data acquisition. The findings indicate that UAV‐assisted photogrammetry should not merely be regarded as a technical alternative, but—under specific field conditions—as a primary and superior method for the documentation and preservation of cultural heritage sites
Aerial photography · Aerial Survey · Documentation · Field (mathematics · Key (lock · Orthophoto · Photogrammetry · Settlement (finance · 3D Surveying and Cultural Heritage · Archaeological Research and Protection · Remote Sensing and LiDAR Applications
Digital Terrain Models Generated with Low-Cost UAV Photogrammetry
UAV photogrammetry for archaeological site survey. 3D models at the Hierapolis in Phrygia (Turkey)
Room and Corridor Mosaics from the Ancient City of Germanicia and its Iconographic Assessment
Paperless mapping and cave archaeology
D modelling in archaeology
On introducing an image-based 3D reconstruction method in archaeological excavation practice
Archaeometric investigations of the Late Roman Period red slip ware from Caesarea Germanicia (Kahramanmaraş, Southeastern Anatolia)
The potential and problems of volumetric 3D modeling in archaeological stratigraphic analysis
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |