Today, Geo Week attendees explored how 3D mapping technologies are documenting historical sites from landmarks to modern military infrastructure. Moderated by Dr. Stewart Walker of LIDAR Magazine, the session featured three case studies demonstrating how lidar, UAVs, and advanced positioning systems deliver insights in challenging environments requiring precision and extensive planning.
Moderated by Dr. Stewart Walker of LIDAR Magazine, the session featured presentations from William Wing of Infinity Land Surveying, Dustin Harr of Desert Creative Group, and Chad Maxwell of HDR. Each presenter showcased projects that required not just technical expertise, but creative problem-solving, extensive collaboration, and the ability to navigate complex regulatory landscapes.
Dr. Walker opened the session by noting that while international organizations often lead heritage documentation discussions, “there’s a lot going on in the homeland,” introducing three presentations exemplifying the breadth of geospatial technology applications.
Tombstone County Courthouse
The historic Tombstone Courthouse became the focal point of a two-year volunteer project led by the Arizona Professional Land Surveyors and Arizona Young Surveyors Network. William Wing presented how the teams combined education with technology, teaching students fundamental surveying while creating comprehensive 3D documentation of Arizona’s first state park.
Wing revealed fascinating history: Wyatt Earp worked as a surveyor and strategically used mining claim surveys for land acquisition (his mineral surveys positioned exactly where his brothers’ houses stood) with improvements witnessed by Doc Holliday. Students examined these original 1880s documents before conducting fieldwork, locating stone section corners, and deploying terrestrial scanners and drone photogrammetry. “We’re teaching the fundamentals while showing them what the technology can do,” Wing explained, setting the stage for the future of today’s young geospatial professionals.
Minneapolis’ Historic Gateway: First Bridge
Dustin Harr presented a unique challenge: documenting a site where the physical structure no longer exists. The First Bridge, built in 1855, was Minneapolis’ first permanent crossing of the Mississippi River at St. Anthony Falls, transforming the city from 455 residents into an industrial center.
Harr deployed SLAM-based scanners and GNSS receivers with visual positioning technology, essentially GPS receivers with integrated cameras capturing imagery from a terrestrial perspective. Walking at normal pace, the system captured photos that could be processed in-field to create dense point clouds without internet connection or post-processing.
“The enhanced technology makes documentation easier,” Harr noted. “Whether it’s enhanced cameras or the variety of data collection tools available, we can capture large amounts of information to tell a story and preserve sites.”
Pearl Harbor
Chad Maxwell presented unprecedented work at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. The project achieved a historic milestone: the first-ever commercial drone operations at this security-sensitive location. Maxwell framed the presentation philosophically, quoting that “a map is a condensed history” and asking what value exists in digital twins and GIS systems. “There’s a lot of value there,” he said. “We need to maximize spatial intelligibility, iterative design, and interoperability.”
The team deployed a variety of geospatial tools, synthesizing everything into CAD platforms for engineering partners. Maxwell emphasized the importance of survey reports: “Something that’s gonna carry forward the strengths and weaknesses of the data, they get separated way too often.”
Technology in Service of Memory and Mission
What united these three projects was a commitment to using advanced technology not for its own sake, but in service of meaningful goals – whether preserving cultural heritage, understanding urban history, or enabling critical infrastructure decisions. Each project demonstrated that technical excellence alone isn’t enough; success requires patience, collaboration, creative problem-solving, and respect for the significance of the sites being documented.
