It's true that archeologists are stuck in the past! Always meddling in other peoples business - digging in their personal belongings, homes, garbage, sanitation, places of worship and education, recreational areas, all aspects of their lives. An inquisitive bunch of intruders that is for certain. Alas, they are well intentioned - seeking only to understand how the people lived and interacted in their environment. Maybe learning crucial information that will benefit us even today, and tomorrow.
Since archeologists are mere cousins to the common armadillo (being such inquisitive and eager diggers), they are always on the search for the next place to set their shovel (well, probably a pick or brush) and bury their fingers into a virgin plot of soil looking for gems of revelation of past human activity. What better way locate their next dig than by using LiDAR? Conventional aerial has been used to locate lost cities, extents of city boundaries, roadways, or even pyramids. While this is normally done with systems capturing just a few points per square meter, imagine what systems collecting a hundred or more points per square meter might reveal!!
The problem is most archeology programs are government or non-profit and therefore very budget minded and generally under funded. It is highly improbable that they could afford a conventional aerial system that would cost at least half a million dollars (and that would likely be an older, used system). Oh, and that's just for the LiDAR system. Don't forget they need a plane and a pilot as well. So what's the archeologist to do?
Fortunately, LIDARUSA is aware of their plight and has created ScanLook Revolution with them in mind. Revolution weighs just over 1kg and cost around $30,000 to $40,000 such that many archeology organizations can afford to purchase their own system - and even the UAV to carry it airborne!
Using a ScanLook system capable point densities far exceeding conventional aerial systems, it is now possible to detect less apparent evidence of civilization such as foot paths, possible burial plots, small mounds, overgrown, well-concealed and nearly buried evidence (fences, walls). While this certainly doesn't help with the excavation it can definitely help guide the researcher in the direction of greatest likelihood of past human activity by finding man-made formations. It cannot be used to rule out the areas of no discernable evidence short of excavation so aside from digging there is still plenty of room for the adventurer and wander lust in every archeologist to look ever deeper.
Revolution is the next big tool to help advance archeological research. Avoid the mistakes of the past by learning from our ancestors and preserving a piece of history less we forget where we have come from.
Since archeologists are mere cousins to the common armadillo (being such inquisitive and eager diggers), they are always on the search for the next place to set their shovel (well, probably a pick or brush) and bury their fingers into a virgin plot of soil looking for gems of revelation of past human activity. What better way locate their next dig than by using LiDAR? Conventional aerial has been used to locate lost cities, extents of city boundaries, roadways, or even pyramids. While this is normally done with systems capturing just a few points per square meter, imagine what systems collecting a hundred or more points per square meter might reveal!!
The problem is most archeology programs are government or non-profit and therefore very budget minded and generally under funded. It is highly improbable that they could afford a conventional aerial system that would cost at least half a million dollars (and that would likely be an older, used system). Oh, and that's just for the LiDAR system. Don't forget they need a plane and a pilot as well. So what's the archeologist to do?
Fortunately, LIDARUSA is aware of their plight and has created ScanLook Revolution with them in mind. Revolution weighs just over 1kg and cost around $30,000 to $40,000 such that many archeology organizations can afford to purchase their own system - and even the UAV to carry it airborne!
Using a ScanLook system capable point densities far exceeding conventional aerial systems, it is now possible to detect less apparent evidence of civilization such as foot paths, possible burial plots, small mounds, overgrown, well-concealed and nearly buried evidence (fences, walls). While this certainly doesn't help with the excavation it can definitely help guide the researcher in the direction of greatest likelihood of past human activity by finding man-made formations. It cannot be used to rule out the areas of no discernable evidence short of excavation so aside from digging there is still plenty of room for the adventurer and wander lust in every archeologist to look ever deeper.
Revolution is the next big tool to help advance archeological research. Avoid the mistakes of the past by learning from our ancestors and preserving a piece of history less we forget where we have come from.
pictures coming soon
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pictures coming soon
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