The Cappadocia historical region in central Turkey is world famous for its iconic fairy chimneys, hot air balloons and stunning landscapes. Today, it gets to live forever – digitally at least – after a local remote sensing company used drones to capture its heritage in a completely new way.
And – given that there is no shortage of such historical sites in Africa, as certified by UNESCO – we thought this might inspire local entrepreneurs to employ the magic of drone technology to also recreate the beauty of these beautiful places as digital twins of the originals.
Africa has 129 heritage sites, encompassing both natural wonders and cultural treasures, such as the Victoria Falls and Zimbabwe Ruins in Zimbabwe, Mapungubwe and Robben Island in South Africa and the city of Rabat in Morocco.
Using DJI’s new flagship drone, the Matrice 400, geospatial teams from Atay Engineering are creating precise 3D models of Cappadocia UNESCO World Heritage site; taking full leverage of the drone’s extended flight times, advanced obstacle sensing, and intelligent planning to create drone workflows that allow for accurate digital preservation without disturbing the site.
The result? A smarter, safer way to document and protect cultural landmarks for future generations.
As for their project, Atay Engineering had this to say; “In this project, which we carried out with our 30 years of experience, we examined how the DJI M400 works in difficult terrain conditions.
“This project was a meaningful experience for us, both technologically and culturally. In the unique landscape of Cappadocia, DJI's next-generation industrial drone, the Matrice 400, was tested and introduced in collaboration with the Atay team.
“With over 30 years of experience, we conducted this project to observe how the DJI M400 performs under challenging terrain conditions.
“This was a meaningful experience for us—not only from a technological perspective, but also in terms of cultural value.”
Launched in June this year, the DJI Matrice 400 is a robust, heavy-lift enterprise drone designed for demanding professional applications. It boasts a six kilogramme maximum payload capacity, a 59-minute flight time, and advanced features like power line obstacle sensing and intelligent flight modes.
The Matrice 400 is built for versatility, supporting multiple payloads and offering enhanced intelligence and automation for various industries.