Exploring archaeological landscapes using drone-acquired lidar: Case studies from Hawai’i, Colorado, and New Hampshire, USA

Abstract Although aerial lidar has proven to be a powerful tool for mapping archaeological landscapes, particularly in forested regions of the world, the high costs of conventional lidar acquisition from aircraft or professional-grade drones remains a hurdle to many researchers. The recent development of ultra-compact, relatively low-cost lidar mapping systems that can be deployed on consumer-grade drones now make it feasible for archaeologists to collect their own high-resolution aerial lidar of sites and landscapes, but the efficacy of these systems remains largely untested. This paper presents results of surveys undertaken using a ultra-compact, drone-deployed lidar at archaeological sites located in three different environments: 1) tropical forests at Kealakekua Bay State Historic Park, Hawai’i, 2) pinon-juniper forest on Mesa Verde’s North Escarpment, Colorado, and 3) mixed deciduous-evergreen forest at Enfield Shaker Village, New Hampshire. Results reveal a wealth of archaeological features at the three study sites and demonstrate the potential of drone-based lidar as a tool in archaeological prospection, but also illustrate some of the significant technical and practical challenges involved in making use of this exciting emerging technology.