Laser Scanning Scotland from the Air
2 October 2013
International experts in airborne laser scanning will meet in Scotland this week to consider how the technology can revolutionise heritage databases of landscape and archaeology.
Airborne laser scanning (ALS) – also known as LiDAR – records the earth’s surface in detail, creating a 3D digital model of its topography. This can reveal previously unknown archaeology by stripping away trees and other vegetation – to literally let us see beneath woodland cover. It is one of the most important recent innovations in data collection and interpretation for archaeology and heritage management.
At a seminar co-hosted by RCAHMS, Historic Scotland and AOC archaeology, experts from across Europe are meeting to share their experience of using ALS at the cutting edge – helping heritage professionals in Scotland to consider how to use this technology to better record and manage our own rich landscapes.
Professor Michael Doneus of the University of Vienna, who has led the development of many archaeological applications of ALS, is speaking at the seminar about the potential for ALS "to offer great insights into Scotland’s rich and varied landscapes”.
Another speaker, Dr Jörg Bofinger of the German Archaeological Institute is describing how ALS is being used in a unique project to generate a comprehensive survey of Germany’s third largest state (Baden-Württemberg - 35,742 square kilometres /13,800 sq miles, one seventh the size of the UK) in just over six years. A survey on this scale conducted without the use of ALS would take decades to conduct.
Speaking about the seminar in Edinburgh, Dave Cowley, Aerial Survey Manager for RCAHMS said, “ALS is a powerful tool to support the creation of systematic heritage databases to enrich our knowledge of Scotland’s past and to inform management and planning. It gives us new ways of looking at landscapes in 3D, and allows us to harness the power of visualisations and computer processing to rapidly and economically create systematic and accurate archaeological maps. The seminar is particularly timely as the availability of ALS in Scotland is increasing, including large-area coverage sponsored by the Scottish Government.”
Graeme Cavers, Project Manager with AOC Archaeology Group added, “This seminar is a great opportunity for leading practitioners to showcase the capabilities of LiDAR, and for heritage professionals to discuss how this revolutionary approach can be routinely integrated to archaeological surveys in the future.”
David Mitchell, Director of Conservation at Historic Scotland said "Scotland has an international reputation for digitally documenting the historic environment - this seminar indicates the potential to enhance that reputation as Historic Scotland and RCAHMS merge to become a new body and build on that expertise."
