Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 12, 2026

DNA Extraction and Comparison Between Old and Fresh Necrophilic Fly Samples
06:33

DNA Extraction and Comparison Between Old and Fresh Necrophilic Fly Samples

Published on: May 3, 2024

Drone-based timelapse documentation of forensic burials: A pilot study.

Victoria Berezowski1, Angela Taylor2, Xavier Anthony Conlan1

  • 1Deakin University, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Science, Engineering and Built Environment, Victoria, Australia; Deakin University, Centre for Sustainable Bioproducts, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Waurn Ponds VIC Australia, 3216.

Science & Justice : Journal of the Forensic Science Society
|July 9, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Factors associated with a complicated hospital course in patients with spontaneous coronary artery dissection: a report of the iSCAD registry.

BMC cardiovascular disorders·2026
Same author

Elimination of Autism Symptoms Using the Specific Carbohydrate Diet: Literature Review and Case Report.

Integrative medicine (Encinitas, Calif.)·2026
Same author

Pregnancy-Associated Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection: A Report of the iSCAD Registry.

JAMA cardiology·2026
Same author

A ketogenic diet for the management of binge-eating disorder: a pilot study.

Eating and weight disorders : EWD·2026
Same author

Paclitaxel-Coated Balloon for the Treatment of Small Vessel In-Stent Restenosis: A Subgroup Analysis of the AGENT IDE Randomized Trial.

JACC. Cardiovascular interventions·2025
Same author

Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD): Unveiling the Enigma of the Unexpected Coronary Event.

Current atherosclerosis reports·2025

This study used uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) drone technology to document changes in simulated forensic burial sites over one year. Key findings show vegetation changes and backfill halos are useful indicators, but their detectability is time-limited.

Area of Science:

  • Forensic Science
  • Archaeology
  • Remote Sensing

Background:

  • Forensic burials are critical for concealing evidence, necessitating effective search techniques.
  • Understanding grave detectability based on time and contents is vital for investigators.
  • Existing search methods require knowledge of specific grave indicators.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To aerially document time-lapse surface changes in simulated forensic burials.
  • To quantify subtle grave elevation changes using uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) photogrammetry.
  • To identify useful, time-dependent grave indicators for forensic burial searches.

Main Methods:

  • Simulated three forensic burials: pig cadaver, skeleton cast, and empty grave.
  • Systematic aerial documentation over one year using a DJI Mini Pro 4 UAV.
Keywords:
Clandestine graveDroneForensic burialPhotogrammetrySearchUAV

More Related Videos

Collecting and Processing Drone-based Remotely Sensed Data for Use in Forest Recovery Monitoring
08:16

Collecting and Processing Drone-based Remotely Sensed Data for Use in Forest Recovery Monitoring

Published on: October 24, 2025

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 12, 2026

DNA Extraction and Comparison Between Old and Fresh Necrophilic Fly Samples
06:33

DNA Extraction and Comparison Between Old and Fresh Necrophilic Fly Samples

Published on: May 3, 2024

Collecting and Processing Drone-based Remotely Sensed Data for Use in Forest Recovery Monitoring
08:16

Collecting and Processing Drone-based Remotely Sensed Data for Use in Forest Recovery Monitoring

Published on: October 24, 2025

  • UAV-photography for surface changes and UAV-photogrammetry for elevation changes.

    • Main Results:

    • Lack of plant life and backfill halos were significant indicators, detectable for 328 and 93 days, respectively.
    • Vegetation regrowth rates were similar across burial types.
    • Only the cadaver grave showed elevation changes, initially mounding then depressing over 233 days.

    Conclusions:

    • UAV drone-based documentation offers a cost-effective method for grave site analysis.
    • Specific grave indicators like vegetation absence and soil disturbance are time-sensitive.
    • Findings provide intelligence for optimizing forensic burial search strategies.