Unveiling Ancient Settlements in Colombia with Advanced Remote Sensing

The dense forests of Colombia hold secrets of ancient civilizations, and now, thanks to affordable and innovative remote sensing technologies, uncovering these mysteries is becoming possible. A team from the LDE alliance—Leiden University, TU Delft, and Erasmus University Rotterdam—embarked on an expedition to the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta, in collaboration with Colombian archaeologists and drone experts, to explore the potential of drones equipped with LiDAR technology.

The primary challenge was navigating the dense foliage of mountainous forests where traditional ground exploration is impractical. The team mounted a lightweight LiDAR laser scanner onto a drone, designed to penetrate treetops while maintaining safe flying altitudes. This technology generated a precise 3D point cloud of the terrain, enabling researchers to identify ancient terraces linked to the Tairona culture. Remote sensing expert Felix Dahle explained, “We had to find the sweet spot—close to the archaeological sites while staying securely above the canopy. And it passed the test.”

The expedition revealed more than just archaeological features. The LiDAR data also allowed differentiation of vegetation types, suggesting new avenues for identifying undiscovered settlements. However, while the scanner excelled in moderately dense forests, extremely thick canopies remained a challenge. The findings demonstrate that such techniques hold transformative potential for geotechnical and archaeological exploration, paving the way for future advancements.