ABSTRACT:The use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is becoming very common for photogrammetric survey especially due to numerous advantages compared to "traditional" aerial photogrammetry. The work carried out describes the first results obtained using different UAV systems for Cultural Heritage surveys. The study was performed acquiring two different datasets on an archaeological site and a "land art" site respectively. These datasets have different characteristics in relation to the extension of the surveyed areas, the used platform, the flight parameters. A Computer Vision approach has been used to produce 3D models and ortho-images with a very high level of detail. Some tests were also carried out to evaluate the metric accuracy of the images orientations and 3D models.

ABSTRACT:Digital documentation and 3D modelling of archaeological sites are important for understanding, definition and recognition of the values of the sites and of the archaeological finds. The most part of archaeological sites are outdoor location, but a cover to preserve the ruins protects often parts of the sites. The possibility to acquire data with different techniques and merge them by using a single reference system allows creating multi-parties models in which 3D representations of the individual objects can be inserted. The paper presents the results of a recent study carried out by Geomatics Laboratory of University of Palermo for the digital documentation and 3D modelling of Eraclea Minoa archaeological site. This site is located near Agrigento, in the south of Sicily (Italy) and is one of the most famous ancient Greek colonies of Sicily. The paper presents the results of the integration of different data source to survey the Eraclea Minoa archaeological site. The application of two highly versatile recording systems, the TLS (Terrestrial Laser Scanning) and the RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aircraft System), allowed the Eraclea Minoa site to be documented in high resolution and with high accuracy. The integration of the two techniques has demonstrated the possibility to obtain high quality and accurate 3D models in archaeological survey.