CIPA 2003 XIX th International Symposium, 30 September - 04 October, 2003, Antalya, Turkey 
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Figure 1. Footprints of aerial photographs on Dilos site. 
In this paper the experience gathered from four independent 
projects using photographs from the radio controlled helicopter 
will be analysed. The method used is described in detail by 
Tokmakidis and Skarlatos, 2002. 
2. SITES AND PROJECTS 
2.1 Orhtophotograph production in Asprovalta 
excavations. 
This project was concerned with 1:100 colour orthophoto 
production over a 1400 sq. meters archaeological site of an 
ancient cottage in Asprovalta (fig. 2). It should be noted that Dr. 
Beleni, the archaeologist who was supervising the excavations 
on the site was not familiar with orthophotographs and this 
product was a new approach for her. 
Figure 2. Final orthophoto on Asprovalta (original 1:100). 
This was the first commercial project with the radio-controlled 
helicopter and therefore a number of unexpected problems were 
confronted. Statistics of this project appear in table 1. The scale 
of the photography relatively to the final orthophotomaps scale 
was not very well calculated, although it has been proved 
afterwards that the achieved quality on the final printout was 
very good and there were no complaints reported by the end 
users. Although this project has been planned for 1:100 scale 
final orthophotograph, it was also printed in 1:50 and it was 
reported as most satisfying. 
The three dimensional plotting was quite uncomfortable 
because strong tilts and scale differences do not allow for 
comfortable stereo viewing. This case holds for all projects. 
Another result of the lack of experience was the triple visit of 
the site due to small gaps on coverage, spotted after 
development of films. The project was completed rather hasty 
due to lack of time because of these recursive visits. 
2.2 Orthophotograph production and vector plot in Dilos 
excavations. 
The second project was also concerned with colour 
orthophotograph production of 1:100 scale in Dilos island. In 
addition, Prof. Chatzidakis, who is the head archaeologist for 
the excavations on the site, asked for the traditional vector plots 
as well. Although open to ‘new’ technologies wanted the vector 
plot for presentations purposes among his colleagues. Problems 
confronted in this case were raised from the fact that the site 
was located on an uninhabited island, which operates during 
work hours as a site museum, without any amenities or cars. 
The radio helicopter and all additional hardware (GPS receivers. 
Rollei Metric etc) had to be carried on foot from harbour to the 
particular location, a distance of 1 km. The particular day of the 
photography, the wind was 6 beaufort, and there was a serious 
consideration whether the helicopter could fly with such wind. 
The model helicopter surprised us all by completing the 
photography without any problems and raising our esteem to it. 
Statistics can be viewed in Table 1. 
Since processing time was amble, this project has been regarded 
as a pilot project, done with great detail and rather slowly than 
what is commercially accepted. The final product can be viewed 
in fig. 3. The final product was plotted and delivered in 1:50 
scale also, without any problems. 
Figure 3. Dilos final mosaic with the vector overlaid (original 
1:100).