Mapping Ancient Architecture via Unpiloted Aerial Vehicle–acquired LiDAR: A Case Study of Hōlualoa Royal Centre, Kona District, Hawai‘i Island

Abstract

At present there is no systematic record of the size, form or density of architecture at Hawaiian royal centres. We report on the results of a UAV LiDAR survey of one of the best-preserved examples of a royal centre in the archipelago: Hōlualoa Royal Centre, Kona District, Hawai‘i Island. The resolution of our data (0.3–0.1 m) is far superior to previous airborne LiDAR surveys (1.0 m); however, several factors, including thick understory vegetation, made resolving archaeological targets challenging. We nonetheless were able measure the volume of building material of the largest features, which allows us to compare structures in this royal centre with other monuments in the region. This study highlights the advantages, and limitations, of UAV LiDAR as well as the need for more high-quality quantitative data on architecture at royal centres.