This article published in collaboration with JUIDA, the Japan UAS Industrial Development Association.
Protecting history: Japan will use drones to create digital twins of Japanese historical landmarks.
by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian J. McNabb
Hiro Holdings
The Hiro Holdings Group, based out of Nara, Japan, has recently announced a partnership with Wise Planning Co. Ltd which will see the use of drones to map and recreate Japanese historical landmarks in 3D. Digital archiving, where digital scans of historical objects are kept as a method of preservation, is becoming an increasingly important tool for archeologists and historians worldwide, especially as over-crowding or over-handling can cause irreversible damage to delicate, ancient environments and artifacts. On top of this, many of Japan’s most important ancient buildings are made of wood, and are highly vulnerable to fire damage or erosion, making digital preservation uniquely important on the island.
Hiro and Wise plan on using drone-based photogrammetry to create detailed 3D models of buildings, along with smaller camera rigs designed to create a repository of smaller objects (such as those found inside museums). Using LiDAR-equipped 360-degree cameras, Hiro’s new digital preservation firm’s UAVs can create extremely accurate point-cloud models of landmarks and cultural properties which will allow researchers and tourists access to extremely accurate recreations of both the interiors and exteriors of historical buildings no matter where they might be.
Operating their own flights and handling all the video editing and processing themselves, Hiro Holdings and Wise Planning hope to create a new kind of digital artifact that can have an impact both in Japan (protecting delicate historical environments and ensuring research can be completed without further risk) and abroad. This represents an important step forward for Japanese businesses in the UAV industry, as more corporations find ways to integrate drones into their existing workflows to create exciting new projects like this one, which combines an existing 3D modelling business with UAVs to protect priceless cultural resources.
More is available from their website here (in Japanese).
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Ian McNabb is a staff writer based in Boston, MA. His interests include geopolitics, emerging technologies, environmental sustainability, and Boston College sports.
Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.For drone industry consulting or writing, Email Miriam.
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