Extensive training on coastal and underwater systematic documentation methods and techniques
Aix-Marseille University
Reference Teacher: Jafar Anbar (AMU)
Teacher(s): Jafar Anbar, Prof. Kalliopi Baika & Labrini Tsitsou
This course offers a comprehensive skills-set of underwater documentation technologies, focusing on the integration of cutting-edge tools and techniques for geoarchaeological and archaeological studies. Participants will perform hands-on experience practice including drone mapping for shallow waters, total station for 3D UW topographic surveying and UW photogrammetric recording of submerged geological and archaeological landscapes with UW cameras. All collected data will be treated in softwares and will be correlated in an interdisciplinary GIS database. Therefore, this course is also combined with advanced digital courses for data treatment in Metashape software for the photogrammetric recording, at @Microsoft Excel for the treatment of the topographical points and, finally, all data will be correlated at the open access software (QGIS). Introductions to these softwares will be given as part of the advanced digital courses on the field in the afternoon, or before the fieldwork in the classroom or online (for accommodating demanding schedules of professionals. The objective is for participants and professionals to acquire an operational experience on the field focusing on experience-based fieldwork in an all-inclusive approach, from the theoretical introduction to the actual acquisition of systematic scientific documentation using non-destructive techniques, to the treatment in specific softwares (after a thorough technical introduction) in order to be able to proceed to the scientific analysis of the collected data. Learning objectives will be brief, clear and specific statements of what learners will be able to do at the end of a course based on the activities, teaching and learning that has taken place will be given in the introductory course.
PhD training in Aix-Marseille University (The PhD training platform ADUM (Accès Doctorat Unique et Mutualisé). A course structured for master, PhD students, but also professionals for life-long training and capacity building.
Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental technologies associated with 3D visual documentation of submerged landscapes, including geological features or archaeological sites (coastal or submerged). They will explore the application, advantages and the limitations of these immersive technologies in the context of submerged cultural heritage sites (i.e. the submerged archaeological harbour site of Aigina, Greece for 2024). Moreover, they will also acquire the specific knowledge and skills to implement step by step the main phases of the systematic scientific documentation of an underwater cultural/natural heritage site.
Participants will be able to perform a systematic, high-resolution and precisely georeferenced documentation of any UW cultural/geological/natural heritage site by using cutting-edge as well as efficient, time saving and non-destructive techniques.
Based on the site accessibility, the depth, the visibility and the time factor (among others), the participants will be able to choose the most effective techniques to apply in order to achieve better results considering the advantages and limitations of each instrument.
Participants will be able to visualise and demonstrate the documentation results and the analysed topographic and photogrammetric data effectively using interactive overlapping and merging methods which can present the different phases of performed work and the outcomes of the project. Finally, these results can be shared by the participants in different formats and can be exported for further analysis with other softwares.
This course gives the chance for the participants to perform the documentation tasks themselves, which will increase their ability of understanding the functionality of the different instruments and enrich their skills to adapt to or solve any problems that they could face during the survey with the supervision of the trainers. This hands-on experience method minimises the doubts or the stress that the participants may have before using the instruments.
Diving skills: Level II of diving / Diving equipment / Personal laptop for the treatment of data
Lectures (in the afternoon or online), fieldwork sessions
Evaluation by the completion of the fieldwork project and the final visualisation and sharing of the 3D data. Evaluation sheet from AMU (in English, French, – adapted to other languages as well) sent online.
The course begins with an introduction to topographic surveys with Total Station, including field procedures, data collection, processing, and integration within GIS. Moreover, it focuses on drone technologies, covering operational techniques, data acquisition,and applications of drone mapping of real study areas submerged or in shallow waters. A particular module will focus on photogrammetric documentation with underwater cameras, providing instruction on equipment setup, image capture, and creating 3D models in @Metashape software. Participants will also learn to use the necessary functions of the free software @QGIS for data import, management, spatial analysis, and visualization, ensuring a thorough understanding of GIS project workflow. By the end of the course, as already mentioned, step by step instructions and practical recommendations will be provided in PDF format to guide the participants on how to operate drones and total stations, capture and process accurate data, and create detailed georeferenced 3D models. Finally, instruction will be given, and participants will work individually and as teams in order to prepare this data for real-world applications and scientific analysis in marine biology, archaeology, geology, environmental science, and related fields.
The expected learning outcomes can contribute to the achievements of the following goals: Goal 14: Life below water, Goal 13: Climate Action, and Goal 4: Quality Education
For PhD students of Aix-Marseille University, they can simply apply through their personal account on ADUM (https://adum.fr/index.pl). For other PhD, master students and professionals by simply showing their interest to follow this course through contacting the following email address: info@unescochair-mca.org
By the end of this module, participants will be able to:
- Understand the principles of underwater topographical survey
- Familiarize themselves with the equipment used, particularly the Total Station
- Learn the step-by-step process of conducting an underwater topographical survey
- Analyse and interpret the collected data for creating accurate underwater topographic maps, sections and drawings.
Materials Needed: Diving equipment and personal computer with @Microsoft Excel software
The module consists of:
- A lecture with a power point presentation (1 hour) introducing the functions of the Total Station, its components and how it measures angles and distances. Additional sessions will explain the principle of UW topographic survey including the establishment of a control network and how it contributes to accurate updated data collection, its advantages and briefly explain the challenges of conducting surveys underwater, safety issues and equipment limitations.
- Field training including a) Practical demonstration of equipment Setup and Calibration (1 hour): Explain how to set up the Total Station for underwater use, ensuring it is securely mounted and aligned.Moreover, trainers will guide participants through the calibration process, emphasizing the need for accuracy in measurements to set the Total station within a control network.If applicable, the course will demonstrate how to use DGPS equipment to establish a control network. b) Hands-on experience field training (1 hour):One Total station per group of 4 participants will be employed to be set up by the participants under the supervision of the trainers. c) Underwater Survey Procedure and data collection (90 minutes):Guide two groups of participants through the step-by-step process of collecting data underwater using the two Total Station and the prism reflectors.This includes the measurements recording (Points and lines) and communication procedures in addition to filling topographical logs and minutes.
- Desk-based training for data analysis (90 minutes): Show participants how to transfer the collected data during the field training to a computer for processing. This includes the data treatment in @Microsoft-Excel environment, introducing different data management methods and finally how to export the data to @QGIS software. Finally, summarize the key points covered in the module.Open the floor to questions and answers, encouraging participants to seek clarification on any aspect of the underwater topographical survey with Total Station.
By the end of this module, participants will be able to:
- Understand the principles of underwater topographical survey
- Familiarize themselves with the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV)
- Learn the step-by-step process of conducting a 2D and 3D optical mapping in shallow waters
- Analyse and interpret the collected data for creating georeferenced maps of submerged landscapes
Materials Needed: Personal computer with photogrammetry software (@Metashape)
The module consists of:
- A lecture with a power point presentation (45 minutes) introduction to Aerial Drone Technology and an overview of drone components and types. Overview of drone regulations and airspace restrictions, responsible drone operation and ethical considerations, privacy concerns and respecting airspace regulations. Drone Applications in Underwater Archaeology: Case-studies highlighting successful drone deployments, emerging trends and future outlook for drone technology.
- Field training (135 minutes) including a) Practical demonstration of drone operation (45 minutes): Pre-flight checklist and safety protocols, understanding drone controls and flight modes, emergency procedures and troubleshooting in addition to basic Drone manoeuvres such as take-off and landing techniques, ascending, descending, forward flight, turns and hovering. Finally, explain camera capture settings and different recording modes for photos and videos. b) 3D Manual and automated mapping Survey Procedure (30 minutes): Demonstrate a manual and an automatic flight planning, including selecting survey area, considering weather conditions, height, and determining photographing routes. Guide participants through the process of capturing a series of overlapping images, ensuring comprehensive coverage of the survey area. c) Hands-on experience field training (1 hour): Two drones will be employed for the participants to perform both manual and automatic aerial mapping under the supervision of the trainers.
Desk-based training for photogrammetric data processing (3 hours): Show participants the fundamental role of optical process in converting raw images into meaningful 3D models in photogrammetry. Introduce Agisoft Metashape as a powerful tool for processing and analysing photogrammetric data. Guide participants through the Metashape interface, highlighting key features and tools. Explain data processing workflow including importing photos, launching the photos alignment, building the points dense clouds, creating 3D meshes and 3D models, texture mapping for realistic visualization. Moreover, advanced features will be demonstrated to the participants such as geographical coordinate system setup within Metashape for accurate georeferencing using control points in real-world coordinates which will allow participants to create 2D georeferenced orthophotos. Finally, data export will be performed in different formats to be integrated in the GIS database built in QGIS where the participants will be able to interpret and analyse the 2D and 3D documentation results for various applications.
- By the end of this module, participants will be able to:
- Understand the principles of underwater 3D photogrammetry
- Familiarize themselves with the equipment required for underwater 3D photogrammetry
- Learn the step-by-step process of conducting an underwater 3D photogrammetric survey
- Process and analyse the collected data to create detailed 3D models and DEMos
- Materials Needed: Underwater camera (if applicable), personal computer with photogrammetry software (@Metashape) and diving equipment
- The module consists of:
- A lecture with a @Powerpoint presentation (1 hour): Provide an overview of the significance of underwater 3D photogrammetry in fields such as maritime archaeology, environmental monitoring, and underwater mapping. Discuss the challenges of capturing accurate 3D data underwater, including visibility, lighting, and equipment limitations. Introduce the concept of underwater 3D photogrammetry and its applications. Discuss the principles of Underwater 3D Photogrammetry, the types of camera systems suitable for underwater 3D photogrammetry and their features.
- Field training (3 hours) including a) Equipment preparation for UW survey (3 Different types of UW cameras) – (30 minutes): Discuss the use of reference scales and targets to enhance the accuracy of photogrammetric measurements. Additionally, outline the necessary safety measures and preparations for conducting underwater 3D photogrammetry. b) Underwater 3D Photogrammetric Survey Procedure (1 hour): Demonstrate a dive planning, including selecting survey area, considering lighting conditions, and determining photographing routes. Guide participants through the process of capturing a series of overlapping images underwater, ensuring comprehensive coverage of the survey area. Highlight the importance of effective communication among team members during underwater surveys, emphasizing safety protocols. c) Hands-on experience field training (90 minutes): Three cameras will be employed for the participants to perform UW photogrammetric surveys under the supervision of the trainers.
- Desk-based training for data analysis (90 minutes): Show participants how to import their photogrammetric data sets into @Metashape for processing, align the photos to create a point cloud, generate dense point clouds from aligned photos, create 3D meshes and DEMos, build texture for realistic visualization, setup the coordinate system within @Metashape for accurate georeferencing, generate the 2D orthophoto and finally export the results for advanced analysis in @QGIS software. Finally, summarize the key points covered in the module.Open the floor for questions and answers, encouraging participants to seek clarification on any aspect of the underwater photogrammetric documentation.
By the end of this module, participants will be able to gain a solid understanding of QGIS basics and key functionalities
Materials Needed: Personal computer with QGIS software
The module consists of:
- Desk-based training introducing @QGIS software and Basic Tools (90 minutes): Demonstrate to participants the @QGIS versions and platform compatibility, installing QGIS and the user interface including the main components (Menu bar, toolbars, map canvas, layers panel and customizing the interface. Additionally, explain to participants the importance of the Coordinate Reference System (CRS) the procedure of the set-up.
- Desk-based training on working with Vector Data (90 minutes): Participants will be able to create vector layers, explore & edit the attribute tables, perform data geoprocessing, visualise and export the results in different formats.
- Desk-based training on working with Raster Data (90 minutes): Participants will be able to import raster layers, explore and edit the layer symbology, perform basic geoprocessing such as georeferencing, contours, sections, slops and depth maps, classify DEMOs based on data value and visualise and export the results in different formats. Finally, explain basic satellite imagery analysis operations for submerged landscapes mapping and highlighting potential interest targets.
Desk-based training on advanced analysis and map creation (90 minutes): Participants will perform advanced overlay operations between vector and raster data to design several maps including adding map elements (title, legend, scale bar, north arrow). Additionally, explain to participants the layout manager tools for printing and exporting georeferenced maps in different formats.
By the end of this module, participants will be able to understand how @QGIS tools can be applied to specific geoarchaeological and archaeological research questions and challenges. They will integrate, analyse, manage and visualise their collected archaeological and geoarchaeological datasets (Topographic and photogrammetric) in @QGIS.
Materials Needed: Personal computer with QGIS software
The module consists of:
- Desk-based training on vector data integration and analysis (2 hours): Participants will import their collected topographic data during the field training, followed by basic bathymetric and architectural analysis in addition to styling and labelling for the creation of distribution, categorisation, and classification maps based on the attribute data.
- Desk-based training on raster data integration and analysis (2 hours): Participants will import their collected and treated photogrammetric datasets (Orthophotos and Digital Elevation Models) during the field training, followed by spatial and overlay analysis combined with extraction operation for bathymetric contours and geological classification.
- Desk-based training on interdisciplinary data integration and monitoring skills (2 hours): Demonstrate to the participants the procedure of importing multi spectral and acoustic data (multibeam sonar and side scan sonar) for both bathymetric and seabed classification operations.Additionally, time-based visualization will be demonstrated to the participants where they can visualize, monitor and document any natural or anthropogenic changes over time using overlay and comparing techniques in QGIS.
Several sections from the user manuals of different softwares can be useful during and after the completion of the introductory digital courses.
– QGIS Desktop 3.22 user guide: https://docs.qgis.org/3.22/pdf/en/QGIS-3.22-DesktopUserGuide-en.pdf
– Agisoft Metashape user manual: https://www.agisoft.com/pdf/metashape-pro_1_7_en.pdf
– Leica FlexLine user manual: https://docs.onepointsurvey.com/pdf/Leica-FlexLine-User-Manual.pdf
– Drone piloting user manual:
https://dl.djicdn.com/downloads/DJI_Mavic_3/DJI_Mavic_3_User_Manual_v1.0_en.pdf