As drone technology has become increasingly reliable and affordable, it has been increasingly utilised in numerous operations across numerous industries. The Trace Enterprises heritage advisor team has recognised its utility in how we offer heritage environmental services. We now actively integrate these useful tools into a number of our digital preservation techniques, including aerial survey archaeology, photography, photogrammetry, and cinematography.
DJI Mavic 2 drones & their use in aerial surveys
We use the DJI Mavic 2 drones; a lightweight yet powerful drone, able to easily handle the rugged conditions that we typically operate in. It possesses a powerful camera which allows us to take high-resolution photos, and capture as much detail as possible. We can operate our drones at over 100m height, allowing us to easily capture aerial photographs that until recently would have been prohibitively expensive to obtain.
Since integrating drones into our archaeological services, we have seen the unique photographic perspectives they offer to have applications in numerous heritage management situations. Aerial site photographs provide a unique overview of the site by situating it within the landscape and creating a valuable reference point of the site as it was at one time. Drones can easily maneuver into even the most challenging locations, providing access to heritage values in places otherwise hard to reach, such as at heights (e.g. rooftops), or along steep slopes. This accessibility reduces the time taken to access and record these places. We have also found that drone photography is perfect for fostering community interest and engagement with a place, with the captivating photographs creating exciting new visual elements of heritage features.
Heritage monitoring & inspection
We provide additional archaeological services in heritage monitoring and inspection. All of the drone operators within our heritage advisor team have been through the CASA certified training process, ensuring that our operations are always safe and within existing legislative frameworks. If you think that drone photography would be useful on your next heritage project, or have any questions about our capabilities, do not hesitate to contact us!
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