Drones Map Wupatki National Monument for Archaeological Preservation

Innovative Use of Drone Technology Aids Archaeological Study at Wupatki National Monument

In an exciting development for archaeology, a team from Northern Arizona University is employing cutting-edge drone technology to explore a historical site at Wupatki National Monument, located north of Flagstaff. This initiative aims to enhance the understanding of the ancient Wukoki Pueblo, which is thought to have been inhabited in the 12th century.

Collaborating with the National Parks Service, researchers from the NAU Department of Anthropology and the Radiant Center for Remote Sensing have embarked on a project to digitally document this significant human settlement. For more details on this effort, visit NAU News.

Leading this initiative are NAU anthropologists and assistant professors Kaitlyn Davis and Kellam Throgmorton, who, along with a team of nine graduate students, are creating an intricate digital archive of the site. This project employs drones—typically restricted from flying over federal lands—to conduct non-invasive surveys using technologies such as kinetic GPS, thermal imaging, and laser scanning.

The acquired data will facilitate the creation of 3D models, allowing for global access to the site for research and study purposes. As Throgmorton explains, “The field of archaeology has shifted to doing a lot more preservation-minded work and thinking about how we can document things in a way that is relatively non-destructive and non-invasive. We have to think about how we create baseline documentation so we can monitor or manage any kinds of changes that might occur to these sites.”

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