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BOB HIRSHON (host):
Archaeological reconnaissance. I’m Bob Hirshon and this is Science Update.
An unmanned aerial drone has been flying over Peru lately – not to hunt down military targets, but to map an abandoned 16th century colonial village. The project is a collaboration between two Vanderbilt University researchers: Julie A. Adams and Steven Wernke.
STEVEN WERNKE (Vanderbilt University):
This vehicle will be able to take imagery of an area in about ten to fifteen minutes that would take two or three entire field seasons using traditional methods.
HIRSHON:
The aircraft, which fits inside a backpack, carries software that allows it to optimize its flight path over a particular site. It takes high-resolution photos that are superior to the best satellite images. After the flight, a computer creates a detailed three-dimensional map from the downloaded images. I’m Bob Hirshon for AAAS, the Science Society.
Podcast for 17 August 2012