Archaeological sites are often located in remote areas and difficult to reach people. This is inconvenient for archaeologists whose funds are limited to do the mapping.
Now they use the tiny drone to expand the view to a location that is difficult to reach. "The possibility of many findings with this method," said Marijn Hendrickx, a geographer from the University of Ghent in Belgium.
The method was successful. A miniature airborne drone used successfully take a picture that creates a three dimensional (3D) model of an ancient burial mounds in the area Tuekta, Russia.
The plane's four propeller or quadrocopter with a Microdrone MD4-200 battery-powered. Axis of its rotors 27 inches (70 centimeters) with a weight of 1,000 grams, making it easy to fly and stabilize themselves constantly at a certain height.
Now they use the tiny drone to expand the view to a location that is difficult to reach. "The possibility of many findings with this method," said Marijn Hendrickx, a geographer from the University of Ghent in Belgium.
The method was successful. A miniature airborne drone used successfully take a picture that creates a three dimensional (3D) model of an ancient burial mounds in the area Tuekta, Russia.
The plane's four propeller or quadrocopter with a Microdrone MD4-200 battery-powered. Axis of its rotors 27 inches (70 centimeters) with a weight of 1,000 grams, making it easy to fly and stabilize themselves constantly at a certain height.
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| The battery-powered Microdrone md4-200 is a four-propeller "quadrocopter" that weighs in at just 35 ounces (1,000 grams). (Picture from: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/) |
The engines also spend a little vibration, so that images captured from the camera is relatively sharp. This aircraft was able to fly about 20 minutes.
Tuekta located in the Altai Mountains, which borders China, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia. The researchers found a burial mound 76 feet wide, suspected of 2,300 to 2,800 years old.
Burial mounds called "Kurgan" it probably belonged to the chief or prince among the Scythians. They are a nomadic people known for their horsemanship. Previous excavations found gold artifacts and other are preserved as layers of ice. Nearly 200 burial mounds are found in Tuekta, along the River Ursul. Center row of five archaeological sites in the form of the tomb mound with a diameter between 42 and 76 yards. "Regrettably, most of the cemetery is destroyed," said Hendrickx.
Tuekta located in the Altai Mountains, which borders China, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia. The researchers found a burial mound 76 feet wide, suspected of 2,300 to 2,800 years old.
Burial mounds called "Kurgan" it probably belonged to the chief or prince among the Scythians. They are a nomadic people known for their horsemanship. Previous excavations found gold artifacts and other are preserved as layers of ice. Nearly 200 burial mounds are found in Tuekta, along the River Ursul. Center row of five archaeological sites in the form of the tomb mound with a diameter between 42 and 76 yards. "Regrettably, most of the cemetery is destroyed," said Hendrickx.
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| A 3-D model of a Scythian burial mound based on images captured by a micro-drone. (Picture from: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/) |
A miniature airborne drone was flying at an altitude of 40 meters to map the cemetery. Wind an obstacle in this lightweight aircraft maneuver. "At some point, we lost radio contact with this aircraft," he said. From the aerial mapping, they can create a digital elevation maps and 3D models of the funeral. According to Hendrickx, with the volume and dimensions of the right, the original form of the Kurgan can be reconstructed.
Archaeologists have begun to use airborne drones more often in the past decade or so, including in Peru, Austria, Spain, Turkey and Mongolia. The resulting maps can help archaeologists see the big picture of a site where up-to-date aerial or satellite images are hard to get, Hendrickx said.
The researchers are now experimenting with a larger microdrone that can carry more weight. This will make it possible to use, for instance, infrared cameras or even a radar system," Hendrickx said. "This can make it possible to see things we can't see with our eyes."
The scientists detailed their findings in the November issue of the Journal of Archaeological Science. *** [LIVESCIENCE | KORAN TEMPO 3673]
