This invention relates to a
system and method for non-invasive detection of gravesites and archaeological features using multimodal
remote sensing and
machine learning. Remotely sensed datasets, including RGB, multispectral, hyperspectral,
LiDAR, and thermal imagery, are orthorectified, mosaicked, and subdivided into tiled image segments. Features are labeled through
manual annotation of visible markers and environmental signatures and expanded via iterative augmentation. A supervised pipeline trains
computer vision models, such as YOLO-based detectors, in parallel with tabular models derived from spectral indices (NDVI, NDRE),
LiDAR elevation derivatives, and thermal anomalies.
Inference outputs are cross-validated against thresholded evidence
layers to reject false positives and upgraded when spectral, spatial, and thermal evidence align. Validated detections are exported as GIS-compatible
layers with confidence scores and
metadata. The
system provides a scalable, replicable tool supporting archaeologists, Indigenous communities, and planners in cemetery investigations, cultural
resource management, and humanitarian searches for unmarked or clandestine graves.