3D modelling of cultural heritage with point cloud generation by integrating UAV and terrestrial photogrammetry techniques

Abstract

In today's context, the preservation of cultural heritage, its transmission to future generations, and the archival in the digital environment for architectural restoration have gained momentum beyond traditional methods. In architectural restoration, surveying involves scaling and documenting the current state of structures, examining the urban design, and providing a basis for restoration projects. Photogrammetry is a commonly used method in documenting cultural heritage. In this study, UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) and terrestrial photogrammetry methods were integrated for the purpose of creating a 3D point cloud and modelling a historical building in the Yıldız Technical University Davutpaşa Campus. The building, formerly the Mızraklı Süvari Alayı Koğuşu belonging to the military, has been restored as a guesthouse. In this context, for the application of terrestrial photogrammetry in the study, 11 survey marks were established surrounding the guesthouse facades. Additionally, 205 control points were set for the facades, and a geodetic network was established in the study area for the geodetic measurements of control points. Subsequently, 554 photos were taken for the facades with an overlap ratio of 80%. For roof modelling, aerial photogrammetry was used, and 33 roof images were obtained using DJI Zenmuse P1 as the UAV. All acquired data were processed in Agisoft Metashape software to generate a 3D model. The accuracy of the results was evaluated by comparing them with ground truth values, assessing the usability of the methods in surveying studies.