Innovative Remote Sensing Approaches: 3D Reconstruction, UAV Photogrammetry, and BIM in Cultural Heritage and Infrastructure
A special issue of Geomatics (ISSN 2673-7418).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 1257
Editors
Interests: photogrammetry; computational geometry; visibility; urban modeling; GIS
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: precision farming; remote sensing; spatial data mining; geospatial data
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The digital transformation of the built environment relies heavily on high-resolution spatial data acquisition. The convergence of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and advanced sensors has made methods such as 3D reconstruction and photogrammetry indispensable tools, transforming traditional 2D documentation into dynamic and highly dense 3D models and representations. This technological shift is paramount for two critical sectors: cultural heritage (CH), where accurate geometric and material documentation is fundamental for conservation, virtual preservation, and public access; and infrastructure, where precise monitoring and modeling are vital for safety, lifecycle management, and resilience against environmental factors. Addressing the challenge of extracting meaningful information and semantic intelligence from raw point cloud data represents the frontier of modern geomatics and applied engineering.
This Special Issue is dedicated to showcasing cutting-edge research that bridges the gap between raw spatial data acquisition and advanced semantic modeling frameworks. We seek contributions that move beyond simple visualization, focusing on the integration of data acquisition techniques with information management systems, primarily building information modeling (BIM), and its heritage-specific adaptation, HBIM (Heritage BIM). By prioritizing technological innovations and the development of integrated workflows for documentation, monitoring, and analysis, this Special Issue directly supports and expands the journal's scope in publishing applied engineering, computer vision, and geospatial solutions for the complex challenges of the modern built world.
We invite original contributions that explore novel methodologies, algorithms, and applications related to the Special Issue’s core topics. Suggested themes include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) BIM-based modeling from 3D point clouds for existing structures (Scan-to-BIM/HBIM); (2) development of automated feature extraction and semantic enrichment algorithms; (3) data fusion techniques and advanced data models for managing heterogeneous information (e.g., combining LiDAR, UAV photogrammetry); (4) remote sensing for damage detection, deformation analysis, and structural health monitoring (SHM) of civil infrastructure; and (5) novel visualization methods and immersive technologies (AR/VR) for documented assets.
We welcome the submission of original research articles, comprehensive review articles, and detailed case studies that demonstrate the implementation and validation of these innovative approaches.
Dr. Lidia M. Ortega Alvarado
Dr. María I. Ramos Galan
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Geomatics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- UAV photogrammetry
- scan-to-BIM
- cultural heritage management
- structural health monitoring (SHM)
- semantic modeling
- point cloud processing
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