Analysis and precision of light detection and ranging sensors integrated in mobile phones as a framework for registration of ground control points for unmanned aerial vehicles in the scanning technique for building information modelling in archaeological sites

The protection of heritage sites is one of the keys that our civilisation presents. That is why great efforts have been invested in order to protect and preserve movable and immovable property with a certain historical value, as is the case of archaeological sites scattered throughout the territory of southern Iberia (Spain) in the form of dolmens and negative structures dug into the ground, constituting a good sample of the megalithic culture in southern Spain. To study, manage and preserve these archaeological monuments, considered a set of cultural assets, various techniques and methodologies are required to facilitate the acquisition of three-dimensional geometric information. The Scan-to-BIM approach has become one of the most up-to-date work exponents to carry out these objectives. The appearance of LiDAR techniques, and recently their incorporation into smartphones through integrated sensors, is revolutionising the world of 3D scanning. However, the precision of these techniques is an issue that has yet to be addressed in the scientific community. That is why this research proposes a framework, through experimental measurement, comparison and knowledge of the limitations of this technology, to know the precision of the use of these smartphones, specifically the iPhone 13 Pro, as a measurement element to establish points of control with the aid of photogrammetry by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in archaeological sites. The results demonstrate a residual uncertainty of ±5 mm in the capture of GCPs from the mobile phone’s LiDAR light detection and ranging sensor, and there was a deviation of the measurements in a range between 0 and 28 m of distance between the GCPs of (0.021, 0.069) m.