UAV Lidar for Investigation Archaeology Sites in European Part of Russian Federation

In 2018–2021 an unmanned aerial laser scanning (ALS) project has been implemented in the forest, forest-steppe and steppe zones of Russia. During this period project was carried out at 28 area sites in Smolensk, Tver, Moscow, Penza, Vladimir, Tula, Orel, Briansk regions, Mordovia and Krasnodar Krai. The total study area amounted to 4601,79 ha. In the course of the work were investigated more than 2286 burials, 44 settlements and fortresses and other objects (fortifications, footings, old traces of excavations etc.). The UAV-based ALS has proven high effectivity for exploration activities over large areas and in conditions of difficult and inaccessible terrain for fixation and becomes the most mobile and efficient solution. The low flight altitude, the low speed, the possibility of operational repeated flights, the mobility of the equipment itself allow to reach very high figures on the number of ground points per 1 sq. m (20/25 – 86). The right combination of ALS and ortho photogrammetry support to finding, mapping and public registration archaeological objects and sites. Nevertheless, a prerequisite for full use is the verification of ALS data during exploration activities using modern non-invasive technologies.