Drone Archaeology

New angles on old sites

Website under renovation

New images will be added plus examples of photogrammetry 

Overview

Click here to view examples of images.

As technology advances and new scientific tools become available, new questions can be asked and solutions to old problems found. While not on the same level as the development of the microscope or the telescope, the rapid development and wide availability of drone technology has enabled archaeologists to view, discover and record sites from a different angle. With new angles of view, new insights can be gained and new discoveries made.

High angle images of sites were possible previously, but the means were either difficult or expensive or both. The use of aircraft, balloons, kites, scaffolding, long poles, cherry pickers or simply using nearby elevated positions, such as buildings or natural high points, as well as other ingenious means, have been used and will continue to be used. It is, however, the flexibility of drone photography that is its main advantage.

The use of drones in UK is limited by regulations of the Civil Aviation Authority to, amongst other things, an altitude of 400 ft above ground level and within 500m of the person controlling it. These are not serious limitation for most aerial photography of archaeological sites. More serious limitations exist with the constraints of flying near or over buildings or people. Otherwise, drones have an advantage except for capturing very wide areas where the higher altitudes possible with aircraft win. The ability to hover, move around and directly above, and to get close to sites offer compensating advantages. There is also the benefit of being able to take advantage of various light conditions and other opportunities at short notice with little planning. It can be a one person mission.

This site showcases photographs I have taken of a few of the sites close to Llandrindod Wells in Wales. For me the use of a drone unites my interest in hill walking, photography and archaeology. I am not a professional archaeologist but I work closely with the Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust for whom I am a volunteer. I have passed the copyright of all my archaeological photographs to them. Any enquiries on this matter should be made to the Historic Environment Record Officer.

I currently use a DJI Phantom 4 quadcopter.