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 -

IWATA, Japan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--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.

Yamaha Motor’s forest digitalization service uses advanced laser surveying technology and more to create three-dimensional digital data of forest environments.
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.

Details: https://global.yamaha-motor.com/news/2026/0629/forestry.html