Built Heritage Digitization: Opportunities Afforded by Emerging Cloud Based Applications

This paper concerns the use of cloud-based photogrammetry to collect and process 3D information pertaining to the built heritage. Although modern surveying technologies such as laser scanning are available, their application may be prohibited by cost and the need for specialist knowledge in all but the largest projects. The paper uses a specific case study, that of a small vernacular building, to illustrate the manner in which affordable and cloud based photogrammetry can be used to record buildings. Much previous work has concentrated on the use of mobile cloud based 3D surveying technology to record small objects, yet this paper illustrates an application within the architectural heritage. Recording the intact built heritage in this way provides a rich data set, and one which can be readily incorporated within mainstream building information modelling packages.