EHG4426 - Photogrammetric survey - Rubha an Fhaing Dhuibh dun

WA Heritage was commissioned by the Forestry Commission Scotland to undertake a detailed measured archaeological survey of Rubha an Fhaing Dhuibh, located on the southern bank of Loch Shiel, near Glenfinnan. The survey was undertaken over a period of three days in April 2012. The methodology chosen for the survey utilised a combination of Total station EDM and photogrammetric methods. The aim of this survey was to inform conservation management plans for the monument, to provide an enhanced record of its current condition and to establish the value of the methodology for future surveys. The survey comprised over 2,000 digital photographs which were successfully combined to generate a point cloud of over 40 million points using the automated photogrammetry software VisualSFM. The point cloud was then used to generate a highly accurate series of plans and elevations of the site. A textured mesh of the central structure was also generated using a separate set of photographs processed using Autodesk’s 123D Catch, another automated photogrammetry software package. <1> <2>