Low-height aerial photogrammetry for archaeological orthoimaging production

In the framework of the Joint Archaeological Mission of the Universities of Bologna and Lecce at the ancient town of Soknopaiou Nesos (Fayyum, Egypt) a wide-range of geomatic methodologies were experimented (GPS, total station surveys, low-height aerial and close-range photogrammetry, Visual Reality ecc.). The surveys were conducted with the aim of recording metrical and non-metrical information inside a common reference system. The paper deals with the use of low-height aerial imagery carried-out by a balloon-kites system equipped with a non-metrical camera. Descriptions of the preliminary results obtained through a self-calibration process of the camera, the use of images within a digital photogrammetric station for orientation, plotting, surface modelling and orthomosaicing are also reported.