Yamaha Motor to Assist with Topographic Survey of Maya Site of Copán UNESCO World Heritage Site - Contributing to archaeological research on Maya civilization ruins in Honduras with forest surveying expertise -
June 29, 2026
IWATA, June 29, 2026 - Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. (Tokyo: 7272) will support a research project at the archaeological sites of Copán in Honduras, Central America, conducted jointly by Komatsu University (Komatsu, Ishikawa Prefecture), Shizuoka University, and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras.
The research project at the archaeological sites of Copán aims to identify and document previously undiscovered cultural and natural sites through LiDAR-based measurement and analysis of surrounding forests and terrain. Using Yamaha Motor's forest digitalization service, the project seeks to acquire detailed topographical and forest data across the area, including the forests around the site. In April 2026 prior to the full-scale survey, an aerial laser scan using an unmanned aircraft was conducted over part of the archaeological sites, and the resulting high-density point cloud data was then used to create three-dimensional digital models of both the forest and the archaeological site.
This initial survey made it possible to visualize not only the internal structure of the forest but also subtle surface features and terrain variations as small as 50 cm. As a result, numerous landforms showing possible signs of human construction were identified, including raised mounds that remain visible on the ground surface.
Archaeological excavations can sometimes alter the natural environment of a site, for example through the removal of surrounding trees, making it difficult years later to accurately reconstruct or verify the pre-excavation landscape and environmental conditions. Recording and preserving these conditions in the form of a digital twin therefore complements conventional archaeological documentation while also helping to preserve and pass down the region's historical and environmental heritage to future generations.
Located in the municipality of Copán Ruinas in western Honduras, the ruins of Copán are one of the most important archaeological sites of the Maya civilization and are a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Research at the site has been conducted for more than 40 years by researchers at the Komatsu University Research Center for Next Generation Archaeological Studies, including Seiichi Nakamura, a specially recruited professor whose work has resulted in discoveries of global significance. The investigations continue in collaboration with Honduran researchers. Although there is a high possibility that undiscovered archaeological remains are hidden within the forests surrounding the core area of the site, the vast area involved and the vegetation covering the ground have made it difficult to gain a comprehensive picture of the region's archaeological landscape.
In addition, Associate Professor Masakage Murano of the Faculty of Informatics at Shizuoka University has been supporting exhibitions at the Museo Regional de Arqueología Maya and related eco- museum initiatives. Going forward, Komatsu University and other organizations will continue studies and analysis in preparation for a full-scale survey of the approximately 2,500-hectare Copán Valley, where the remains of the ancient city of Copán extend across the landscape. At the same time, through heritage value assessments planned by Shizuoka University and other institutions in collaboration with local communities, the project will explore how the data can be utilized for the conservation of natural heritage, including forest ecosystems.
Yamaha Motor's forest digitalization service uses advanced laser surveying technology and more to create three-dimensional digital data of forest environments.
Equipped with high-resolution LiDAR, Yamaha Motor's industrial unmanned helicopters-capable of autonomous flight and extended operations-can emit up to 2.4 million laser pulses per second from above the forest canopy.
By analyzing the resulting high-density point cloud data, the service can visualize forest resource information, such as tree locations, heights, and diameters, as well as detailed terrain data. Yamaha Motor plans to expand the application of this technology to the investigation and preservation of cultural and natural heritage sites both in Japan and overseas.
Point cloud data of the archaeological sites (1)
Point cloud data of the archaeological sites (2)
The research project at the archaeological sites of Copán aims to identify and document previously undiscovered cultural and natural sites through LiDAR-based measurement and analysis of surrounding forests and terrain. Using Yamaha Motor's forest digitalization service, the project seeks to acquire detailed topographical and forest data across the area, including the forests around the site. In April 2026 prior to the full-scale survey, an aerial laser scan using an unmanned aircraft was conducted over part of the archaeological sites, and the resulting high-density point cloud data was then used to create three-dimensional digital models of both the forest and the archaeological site.
This initial survey made it possible to visualize not only the internal structure of the forest but also subtle surface features and terrain variations as small as 50 cm. As a result, numerous landforms showing possible signs of human construction were identified, including raised mounds that remain visible on the ground surface.
Archaeological excavations can sometimes alter the natural environment of a site, for example through the removal of surrounding trees, making it difficult years later to accurately reconstruct or verify the pre-excavation landscape and environmental conditions. Recording and preserving these conditions in the form of a digital twin therefore complements conventional archaeological documentation while also helping to preserve and pass down the region's historical and environmental heritage to future generations.
Located in the municipality of Copán Ruinas in western Honduras, the ruins of Copán are one of the most important archaeological sites of the Maya civilization and are a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Research at the site has been conducted for more than 40 years by researchers at the Komatsu University Research Center for Next Generation Archaeological Studies, including Seiichi Nakamura, a specially recruited professor whose work has resulted in discoveries of global significance. The investigations continue in collaboration with Honduran researchers. Although there is a high possibility that undiscovered archaeological remains are hidden within the forests surrounding the core area of the site, the vast area involved and the vegetation covering the ground have made it difficult to gain a comprehensive picture of the region's archaeological landscape.
In addition, Associate Professor Masakage Murano of the Faculty of Informatics at Shizuoka University has been supporting exhibitions at the Museo Regional de Arqueología Maya and related eco- museum initiatives. Going forward, Komatsu University and other organizations will continue studies and analysis in preparation for a full-scale survey of the approximately 2,500-hectare Copán Valley, where the remains of the ancient city of Copán extend across the landscape. At the same time, through heritage value assessments planned by Shizuoka University and other institutions in collaboration with local communities, the project will explore how the data can be utilized for the conservation of natural heritage, including forest ecosystems.
Yamaha Motor's forest digitalization service uses advanced laser surveying technology and more to create three-dimensional digital data of forest environments.
Equipped with high-resolution LiDAR, Yamaha Motor's industrial unmanned helicopters-capable of autonomous flight and extended operations-can emit up to 2.4 million laser pulses per second from above the forest canopy.
By analyzing the resulting high-density point cloud data, the service can visualize forest resource information, such as tree locations, heights, and diameters, as well as detailed terrain data. Yamaha Motor plans to expand the application of this technology to the investigation and preservation of cultural and natural heritage sites both in Japan and overseas.
Point cloud data of the archaeological sites (1)
Point cloud data of the archaeological sites (2)
Mounds and forest structure revealed by a cross-section of the point cloud data
The archaeological sites of Copán being investigated by
Komatsu University and other institutions
Komatsu University and other institutions
