# Redefining Archaeological Research: Digital Tools, Challenges, and Integration in Advancing Methods
## 3 Types of Digital Tools
### Drones and Aerial Photography  
Another emerging technique increasingly employed in archaeological documentation processes involves the use of unmanned aerial platforms, commonly referred to as drones. In recent years, numerous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of drones for documentation purposes [58; 59]. Drones offer distinct advantages over traditional airborne or spaceborne methods for capturing photographs of archaeological sites. They are compact, portable, cost-effective, and relatively easy to operate [60; 61] (Figure 13). Figure 12: Perspective view of the chamber of tomb 3 in the Mycenaean cemetery of Aidonia in Greece. Point cloud visualization using calculated illuminance. Source: [57]. A drone is a system consisting of an aerial platform equipped with a sensor and a ground station that communicates with the platform's flight controller. The flight controller is equipped with components for orientation and navigation, such as gyroscopes, magnetic compasses, triaxial accelerometers, and other sensors [62]. Archaeologists increasingly favor them over traditional aerial imaging techniques due to their cost effectiveness and highly maneuverable nature as documentation platforms. Recently, consumer-grade drones have been equipped with sensors capable of capturing visible, near-infrared, and thermal imaging data. Additionally, low-cost LiDAR sensors can now be mounted on standard drones, enabling the production of high-quality 3D data. These advancements provide archaeologists with the ability to acquire highly reliable three-dimensional data, ideal for archaeological surveys and mapping [63]. Over the past decade, various studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of drone-based aerial photography in archaeological research [59; 64; 65; 66] (Figures 14-16). In 2016, [PERSON] [60] discussed the use of drone-acquired aerial imagery for site recognition in a complex rural area from the Classical Roman period in Molise, Southern Italy. Previous surveys in the region, including pedestrian field surveys, small-scale excavations, and geophysical studies, had limited success. However, drones identified a complex system of features, likely associated with subsurface remnants of multiple interconnected complexes. Figure 13: The Cosa site (Ansedonia, Italy): (**a**) textured 3D model made from aerial photos obtained in 2012 with a hydrogen balloon; (**b**) 3D textured model of the Capitoline temple of Cosa made from a video sequence, taken in 2013, with a GoPro Hero 2 camera installed on a DJI Phantom I UAV; (**c**) frame of the video captured with the GoPro Hero 2 camera. The lens distortion of this type of camera can be observed. In the first versions of the Agisoft Photoscan program, it was necessary to carry out previous work to correct the distortion. Source: [61]. Figure 14: Analysis of Heloros site in Sicily using drones: (**a**) Heloros’ Digital Surface Model derived from drone-based photogrammetry data and (**b**) Heloros’ DSM Local Relief Model visualization. Visualizations (**a**) by [PERSON] and (**b**) by [PERSON]. Source: [66]. Figure 15: Orthomosaic of Castle of Didymoteichon, Greece, derived from drone images in 2024. Retrieved from the project “Investigation of possibilities and methods of restoration of Didymoteichon Castle—Research for analysis and documentation—Integration of the monument into the city environment”, funded by the Greek Ministry of Culture and implemented by Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. Source: [[https://qa.auth.gr/en/project/75958](https://qa.auth.gr/en/project/75958)]([https://qa.auth.gr/en/project/75958](https://qa.auth.gr/en/project/75958)) (accessed on 25 December 2024), unpublished data—own processing, 2024. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [67] explored the automated recording of material culture dispersion across large areas using high-resolution drone imagery. [PERSON] et al. [63] explored the potential of multispectral and thermal infrared imaging with drones to study complex historical zones.