Air-chaeological drones search for ancient treasures

摘要

In early August two small craft swooped over the ruins of Aphrodisias - the ancient Greek city of Aphrodite in Turkey, built in the 1st century BC. As well as precisely mapping the crumbling amphitheatre, the drones also gathered infrared images, looking for buried features of the ancient civilisation. The craft belong to Drone Adventures, a non-profit organisation in Lausanne, Switzerland, that specialises in exploring the use of drones in new applications, from wildlife management to geography. The organisation uses drones called eBees, which have a 1-metre wingspan and weigh about half a kilogram. They follow a pre-planned route over an area, mapping as they go.