New drone digital archaeology uncovers ancient sites in Australia

Drone‑based digital archaeology has identified three previously unrecorded ancient Indigenous shelters in Australia. The discovery was made using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology mounted on unmanned aerial vehicles, allowing researchers to map the terrain with high precision.

The LiDAR system emitted laser pulses that penetrated vegetation and captured detailed topographic data. By processing the resulting point clouds, the team was able to detect subtle earthworks and structural outlines that are not visible from the ground or conventional aerial photography.

The work was led by Dr Jacob Bongers, a drone archaeologist at the University of Sydney. Dr Bongers applied the drone‑borne LiDAR methodology as part of a broader effort to locate and document cultural heritage sites that have not been recorded in existing surveys.

Analysis of the LiDAR data revealed three distinct formations interpreted as ancient Indigenous shelters. These structures had not appeared in any prior archaeological registers or historical records, indicating that they represent new additions to the known cultural landscape of the region.

The identification of the shelters expands the inventory of Indigenous heritage sites in Australia and provides new locations for further archaeological investigation. The findings demonstrate the utility of drone‑based LiDAR in uncovering hidden features in densely vegetated environments.