Marco BLOCK-BERLITZ1 | Martin OCZIPKA1 | André KNUTH2
(1HTW Dresden, University of Applied Sciences, Dresden, Germany | 2Flying Wheels Co., Germany)
Abstract:
Over the last couple of years, multicopters equipped with cameras have become a standard method for documenting and mapping sites in 3D. With the Archaeocopter project and its low-cost system developed at HTW Dresden, this method became inexpensive and due to that a great success. About 50 sites were recorded from the air and processed over the last three years. But many more are underwater. So let’s go and get wet!
This video shows how a multicopter crashing into the Mediterranean led to the idea of transferring the technology of aerial 3D video processing to submarines. In general, this method is not limited to any depth. It is shown how an unmanned, remotely controlled micro submarine is used as a platform to acquire video streams of underwater sites. Theses streams are then processed into interactive 3D models and maps.
Many finding sites are just a few meters unterwater and can be reached by ROV or scuba divers. Often, photos or videos are recorded while diving, but these are just images and offer only a poor impression of the site. With new technologies for 3D reconstruction, any video stream can be processed into a scaled 3D model, regardingless of the method of acquisition. In our video, some examples of the exploration of underwater sites in various areas are shown. In addition, the 3D-modelling process is visualized.
Underwater videos from archaeological sites have an interesting flair due to their “mystical” appearance and the strange sounds of the environment. Conversions of the videos and photogrammetric processing give a good idea of possibilities and limitations.
Keywords: SfM, videogrammetry, underwater, UUV