Using drone data to create a 3D twin for digital land preservation

In August 2022, the non-profit organization CyArk traveled to the historic Shirk Ranch in Adel, Oregon (U.S.) to document the homestead and accompanying ranch. The team captured lidar data in combination with terrestrial and aerial photogrammetry with the eBee X drone and S.O.D.A. 3D camera to create a 3D digital twin of the site.

The site is a time capsule of what life was like at a pivotal time in the late 1800s and early 1900s on a Western ranch, and offers a glimpse into the harsh realities of the terrain and culture surrounding rural farming in American history.

The highly accurate 3D model of the structures and their surrounding landscape can be used as a reference for any future conservation or preservation projects.

“Due to the remote nature and large terrain area the eBee X drone was instrumental in allowing the full scale of the site to be shown in our tour” explains Chris Millbern, CyArk’s 3D expert.

CyArk is a non-profit organization with a mission to digitally document, archive and share the world’s cultural heritage. The project was a combination of digital preservation and storytelling on behalf of the Oregon Bureau of Land Management. The data collected during the week-long field capture was also used to create the foundation for a free-to-the-public virtual tour.