Innovative Strategies and Use of UAVs to Survey and Monitor Archaeological Sites in Conflict/Post Conflict Zones. The Case Study of the Fortified Citadel of Shahr-i Zohak in Bamiyan (Afghanistan)

A groundbreaking study demonstrates that UAV-based photogrammetry can generate highly accurate 3D models of archaeological sites, even in conflict or post-conflict zones like Afghanistan. Using Skydio’s X10 and S2 drones with low ground-to-surface distances (1–5 meters) and high overlap (75%-95%), researchers achieved millimeter-level precision (1 mm per pixel) for a 120m x 30m section of the fortified citadel of Shahr-i Zohak, part of Afghanistan’s Bamiyan Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site. This method overcomes challenges such as UXO presence, limited accessibility, and lack of GPS connectivity by merging external (GPS-referenced) and internal (non-GPS) datasets. The findings highlight the potential for remote damage assessment in inaccessible regions, while also outlining practical guidelines and limitations for future applications in similarly challenging environments.

Bouledroua, D., & Cassar, B. (2025). Innovative Strategies and Use of UAVs to Survey and Monitor Archaeological Sites in Conflict/Post Conflict Zones. The Case Study of the Fortified Citadel of Shahr-i Zohak in Bamiyan (Afghanistan). The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, XLVIII-M-9-2025, 171–178. https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-xlviii-m-9-2025-171-2025