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Thomas Torres II, a NASA Guam Space Grant Program professional intern at the University of Guam and a member of the University of Guam UAV Corps, recently played a key role in a groundbreaking two-week mission to map ancient man-made terraces in Palau. As part of his internship with local drone service provider 2cofly, Torres and the team used drones and advanced LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology to discover these hidden historical sites.
Led by resident archaeologist Dr. Jolie Liston and funded by the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation, the mission aims to map approximately 3,000 acres of ancient rice terraces in Aymeric State, providing detailed data about these historical farming sites. Drone surveys of these terraces, which have been covered by dense tropical vegetation for thousands of years, will help researchers better understand how these features relate to Palau’s historical culture, infrastructure, agriculture, defense systems, rituals and ceremonies.
“The goal of the project is to enhance the cultural, social and economic value of Palau’s vast earthwork landscape and preserve this important cultural heritage for future generations,” Liston said. “This goal will be achieved through an integrated approach combining remote sensing, archaeological field work and oral history collection, all of which include educational and capacity-building components.”
Using drones equipped with LiDAR sensors, laser pulses can penetrate vegetation to reveal ancient topography beneath the surface. The combination of drones and LiDAR technology offers several advantages over past aircraft surveys, including the ability to survey large areas and sense what is beneath dense vegetation with greater efficiency and accuracy.
The collected data was processed to create a detailed 3D model of the terraces and a high-resolution digital terrain model (DTM). These models revealed the structure and extent of the terraces with unprecedented clarity, bringing significant benefits to archaeological research and conservation efforts.
Despite the initial challenges with weather, technology and terrain, Torres still found the event very fulfilling.
“It was very interesting to learn about the forgotten history of the terraces, especially because most people don’t think much about them,” he said. “Even though Palau has strong roots in oral history, surprisingly there were no oral records of them.”
Torres, a civil engineering technology student at Guam Community College, credits the University of Guam UAV Unit and the NASA Guam Space Grant Program for preparing him with basic skills in drone operations, safety precautions and field work.
“Participating in the Drone Corps III program has given me the necessary skills to confidently operate a drone,” he said. “Through the NASA Guam Space Grant Internship Program, I had the opportunity to intern at 2cofly and participate in multiple missions in Guam.”
By working with Liston, Torres and the 2cofly team hope not only to highlight the island’s ancient terraces, but also to inspire future generations to cherish and protect its historic environment. Detailed data from the mission is expected to be shared with major publications, bringing global attention to Palau’s extraordinary environment and encouraging further archaeological research and conservation efforts.
The UOG Drone Corps is accepting applications for the Fanuchånan 2024 semester internship until August 2, 2024. In addition to the professional internship track, the program also offers research and teaching internships. Participants receive a stipend totaling $3,000 per semester, with the opportunity to extend into a second semester, for a total of $6,000 per academic year. Interested applicants can apply at bit.ly/ngsg2024 or contact Keanno Fausto at faustok9679@triton.uog.edu.
About NASA’s Guam Space Grant Program:
The NASA Guam Space Grant Program (NGSG) at the University of Guam is a member of the University of Hawaii Space Grant Consortium, participates in the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program, and administers the University Research Internship (URI) Program. NGSG aims to inspire and train future generations of professionals through research and internships to understand, exploit, explore, and study space and Earth. The program, led by faculty and staff from the Micronesia Regional Geospatial Information Center (MAGIC) Laboratory at the University of Guam’s Western Pacific Tropical Research Center, supports educational programs focused on STEM topics in support of NASA’s mission.
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