Fereshte Azarkhordad; Hasan Hashemi Zarajabad
Abstract
Forg Castle is a mountain fortress dating back to the Late Islamic period (from the Afsharid to the Qajar era). Due to its strategic location and unique architecture, the castle has ...
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Forg Castle is a mountain fortress dating back to the Late Islamic period (from the Afsharid to the Qajar era). Due to its strategic location and unique architecture, the castle has always attracted attention and necessitates precise documentation using modern methods. Drone photogrammetry is one of the modern technologies that, with the advancement of technology in recent decades, has become increasingly used in this type of study. Whether used alone or in combination with other techniques, it has been widely employed in the 3D modeling of immovable cultural heritage and archaeological sites. This technology creates accurate and photorealistic 3D models of historical structures and sites using 2D images. Such documentation is valuable for conservation efforts and sustainable development. The present applied research was conducted with the aim of assessing the capabilities of drone photogrammetry in a mountainous castle with significant elevation differences. The study focused on modeling Forg Castle for documentation and the creation of a 3D map. It was carried out in three stages: fieldwork, software processing, and archival research, using an analytical approach. As a result, a 3D model of the mountainous Forg Castle was produced with true texture and a Ground Sample Distance (GSD) of 0.97 centimeters per pixel. The accuracy of the results was evaluated using four ground control points (GCPs) and three check points, indicating the high performance of drone photogrammetry as a fast and effective method for the documentation and 3D modeling of mountainous castles and their architectural features despite elevation differences with a ground accuracy of 6.2 centimeters.
